The GTMA has appointed Dr Jennifer Johns (pictured), a Reader in International Business at the University of Bristol, to its team.

She brings with her a range of expertise including research on technological change and innovation in global supply chain networks. The GTMA has been working with Dr Johns on a number of projects and is collaborating with the University of Bristol in funded research.

Dr Johns recently published an extensive report examining the impact of 3-D printing on manufacturing supply chains in the UK, Germany, and the USA.

The work of this project ties in with the ongoing GTMA engagement with the UK-based 3-D printing community and the GTMA's Reshoring UK initiative.

This collaboration will foster a stronger understanding of additive manufacturing and supply chain strategies, providing some thought leadership and a platform to evidence development in these critical areas.

Meanwhile, the GTMA has identified over 500 UK-based companies across the country that have adopted 3-D printing techniques as a core element of their business operations.

Many more are using the technology and optimising design of components to maximise the benefits of moving to this technology as a route to production.

The GTMA has recently undertaken a survey of the UK-based 3-D printing community to gain an insight to what is happening around the country.

Unlike more traditional forms of manufacturing this technology is not clustered geographically, the technology being so flexible that it can be done in any location by small teams and individuals without necessity for supporting infrastructure.

There are significant numbers of companies with 3-D printing expertise in areas around universities at the forefront of the development and promotion of the technology.

Key findings from the survey include significant adoption of metal powder as a building material. The early days of commercial adoption was based around resins, plastics, and other synthetic polymers including binders for building sand casting cores.

This growth of metal powder manufacture reflects improvements in the processing technology, availability of a wide range of metal alloys, and commercial demand.

From the survey findings over one third of material suppliers to 3-D printing companies are offering metal powder; and over half the companies that responded are producing metal components and tooling.

Ther survey also indicated that materials including Kevlar and carbon fibre are now being more widely adopted.