Automating a novel multi-tool additive and subtractive manufacturing platform for micrometre-resolution prototyping across diverse industries

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Micro-forming processes like injection moulding support large-series manufacturing but are ill-suited to rapid iterative design-test-prototype cycles. The UK Government recently invested over £168 million into additive manufacturing (AM), a versatile tool with potential to propel industrial R&D across diverse sectors. This includes multi-material hybrid components such as polymer/metal parts carrying electrical charge. 3D-printed electronics will trade £15 billion in 2025, with over 15% compound annual growth driven by market-pull from the Internet-of-Things, Industry-4.0, and smart-connected devices. However, AM suffers from complex protocols across multiple machines, and nobody has yet managed to properly integrate disparate techniques to obtain high quality precision complex hybrid-material parts. These include biosensors, disposable diagnostics, and low-capacity Printed Circuit Boards/actuators used across multiple sectors such as in the automotive industry. Supporting their industrial R&D and manufacturing aligns with various UK strategic policies, including the Life Sciences Strategy, Transport Decarbonisation Plan, and Zero Emissions Mandate. AAS Holding Limited, trading as Hybrid Manufacturing Solutions, has developed a patent-pending technology that seamlessly integrates several additive and subtractive manufacturing processes. The proposed public/private collaborative project targets full digital platform automation enabling minimal error and maximum parts output, far superior to current AM processes. The project is a pivotal step towards targeting priority markets including industrial handling of integrated metals and electronics. Scaling the technology will unlock £144 million in cumulative industry savings through streamlined R&D and productivity gains, whilst averting over 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and 35,000 tonnes of industrial material waste by 2029\.