From geopolitical tensions and disrupted trade routes to climate change and market volatility, Swedish industry is under mounting pressure – and transformation is no longer optional. The question now is: how do we shape an industrial landscape that is both robust and future-ready?

Staffan Lund works with industrial transition at the corporate office for regional development at Region Västra Götaland. He’s confident that additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, can be a vital part of the answer. 

What’s the deal with additive manufacturing?

Unlike subtractive or forming manufacturing techniques, additive manufacturing (AM) builds objects layer by layer directly from a digital model. This approach brings a range of advantages: shorter lead times, reduced material waste, greater design flexibility, and the ability to produce components locally. The latter has proven particularly important in recent years, as global disruptions have exposed the vulnerabilities of international supply chains. But can a relatively young and still fairly niche technology really make a difference on a broader industrial scale?

“Additive manufacturing has quickly progressed from a tool for prototyping to a fully viable production method. However, it still represents only a small fraction of overall manufacturing – just a few per cent. As a result, many of its potential sustainability gains, such as reduced material waste, lighter components, and lower emissions, remain largely untapped. Realising this potential will require targeted efforts – and this is where we believe the Application Center for Additive Manufacturing at RISE can make a real difference,” says Staffan Lund.

Increasingly Important Across Multiple Sectors

With the highest industrial employment in Sweden and manufacturing at its core, Västra Götaland is a region where these matters are particularly relevant. Though not traditionally a stronghold for industrial R&D, the region was quick to recognise the strategic value in aligning industrial transformation with the development and integration of additive manufacturing. Accordingly, the technology went on to become one of the region’s primary areas of financial investment in the high-tech sector.

"Since then, the importance of the technology has only grown. Beyond its value to the manufacturing industry, we’re now seeing clear applications in the energy sector – especially within energy production, which has grown significantly in relevance in recent years. This is closely linked to the broader industrial transition, where reliable access to energy is critical. In addition, today’s uncertain global landscape has brought attention to additive manufacturing from a resilience standpoint. We’re also seeing our own sectors – such as healthcare – increasingly begin to explore the potential of this production technology," says Staffan Lund.

And there is yet another area where additive manufacturing has recently come into focus.

“It’s about applications with both civilian and military relevance. As a manufacturing region, Västra Götaland plays an important role in this intersection. While we don’t have large-scale military production, the defence sector depends on manufacturing industries – and on new production methods. That could mean rapidly developing prototypes or restarting the production of components that haven’t been made in a long time. In these cases, additive manufacturing can play a significant role.”

"There is a need for a test and knowledge arena"

Region Västra Götaland has had a close collaboration with RISE for many years and has supported several projects aimed at making additive manufacturing more accessible and accelerating its implementation within industry. Two examples are 3D-Action 2.0 and COMPASS II, the latter of which was recently completed.

“Projects like these give companies the opportunity to more rapidly test new technologies and business models, build essential knowledge, and gain the confidence to invest. We support the Application Center for Additive Manufacturing because there is a need for a test and knowledge arena that lowers the threshold for small and medium-sized enterprises. This, in turn, strengthens competitiveness throughout the entire manufacturing chain – ultimately benefiting large companies as well. Sooner or later, cost calculations, sustainability benefits, and material factors will drive the entire manufacturing sector towards additive manufacturing. But it’s those who move first who gain the real competitive edge,” says Staffan Lund.

Encouraging more to take the leap

Staffan Lund acknowledges that there are still obstacles to overcome, such as the lack of industry standards and a shortage of competence. At the same time, he sees additive manufacturing as an inevitable part of the future manufacturing industry and encourages companies to adopt an AM mindset from the outset.

"When new technologies emerge, it’s easy to hold preconceived notions. That often prevents companies from embracing a shift – which in turn causes them to fall behind and lose competitiveness. When the technology is described simply as 3D printing, it’s hard to grasp just how advanced it really is, or to understand the breadth of possible applications. I believe a large part of traditional manufacturing will have been replaced by additive manufacturing within ten years. That’s why it’s vital for the entire value chain to start integrating an AM perspective early in the development process, and makes use of the opportunities already available to explore both the technology and future business models."

With a third of the world's population undernourished, new ways to deliver essential nutrients are needed. This was the starting point for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's 2019 Bouillon Cube Fortification Project.

The aim: to reduce malnutrition in West Africa – a region where anaemia and stunting are major health problems.

The project has attracted attention beyond the scientific community – not least when Bill Gates appeared on CBS's The Late Show to sample one of the bouillon cubes developed by RISE and the Australian research organisation CSIRO.

"Bouillon is a good product to fortify because it is consumed daily by most people in the region. It is an inexpensive product that reaches even the poorest part of the population, and it is a very common ingredient in cooking," says Tim Nielsen, Project Manager at RISE.

Nutrient analysis during storage

In this project, RISE and CSIRO worked with several major international food companies to develop and test fortification solutions for broth powders. In this case, three vitamins (A, B9 and B12) and three minerals (iron, zinc and iodine) were added.

A particular challenge was storage. RISE tested whether the nutrients in the broth would be preserved during long-term storage in the harsh conditions of West Africa, with temperatures between 30 and 40 degrees and a relative humidity of 70 per cent.

"We carried out analyses of the different nutrients to ensure that they were not degraded. We also carried out colour measurements and sensory analysis of the taste, appearance and texture of the product," says Tim Nielsen.

He concludes that the project has produced very good results that can be used as a guide for both international and local broth producers to produce fortified products.

Benefits for other food development programmes

Henrik Bagewitz, Marketing Manager at RISE, believes that the project demonstrates the power of being able to apply current research results for practical benefit in innovation work.

"Expertise in product development, sensory science and nutrition can now be used as a basis for developing other types of functional foods.

"The insights and results can create value for more people. "We empower food companies and other stakeholders who want to develop food products with societal benefits and a clear purpose to improve people's lives. The world's population is growing and finding cost-effective, climate-friendly and nutritious food for everyone is a growing challenge," he says.

"The experience we have gained in fortifying food without compromising taste or shelf-life will be useful in many areas in the future – not only to help low-income countries," says Bagewitz.