Lighting Research Center Initiates Industry Collaboration to Study and Explore 3D Printing Solutions for Lighting
March 14, 2019
How will 3D printing affect my business? This question is being asked by companies in several industries, especially those involved in the manufacturing process. A diverse group of companies came together last month to discuss and better understand the impact of 3D printing in the lighting and allied industries. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is already being used in several industries to augment conventional manufacturing.
The discovery workshop, organized by the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer in partnership with Carbon Group Global, was designed to understand the impact of 3D printing across all areas of buildings and construction, and especially its impact on lighting. Participants included leaders from Acuity Brands Lighting, Current by GE, Desktop Metal, DSM, Eaton Corp., Finelite, Focal Point, Henkel, HP, Hubbell Lighting, Lumileds, Stratasys, Tempo Lighting, Ultimaker and Carbon Group Global. The group focused on how to best assimilate 3D printing with the lighting industry, the mutual benefits to all stakeholders, and the implications to and the impact on the existing ecosystem.
“We are thrilled to host such a pioneering effort with industry leaders who have a shared vision of adopting 3D printing in the lighting and construction industries,” said LRC Director of Research Nadarajah Narendran, Ph.D., who was the chief architect of the workshop. Leading the workshop, industry veteran Govi Rao emphasized, “We are steadily embarking on the fourth Industrial Revolution, which is enabling capabilities like additive manufacturing to be adopted rapidly, thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning and enhanced connectivity.” Commenting on the workshop, Hugo da Silva, VP of Additive Manufacturing at DSM, a pioneer in 3D printing materials for more than 25 years, said, “We are excited that the lighting industry is taking a proactive approach to integrate 3D printing into their operations. I am extremely optimistic about the possibilities enabled by 3D printing, specifically for the various stakeholders in the lighting value chain.”
The group will soon embark on developing an industry roadmap to make additive manufacturing a viable option for the lighting, building, and construction industries.
The potential benefits of 3D printing include the ability for manufacturers to create custom products that are uniquely designed for spaces to be illuminated. Fixtures could be printed on-site and on-demand, benefitting the user/customer, the manufacturer, and the local construction industry. With 3D printing, the manufacture of individual lighting components, such as heat sinks, electrical traces, and optics, could be customized, enabling the design of parts that cannot be manufactured today by traditional methods, improving both aesthetics and functionality. Research is still needed to advance the integration of 3D printing into the lighting industry, beyond the current prototyping stage. To date, the Lighting Research Center has conducted initial investigations into the potential for printing thermal, electrical, and optical components.
For more information about the LRC’s 3D printing industry group, contact Dr. Nadarajah Narendran, [email protected] or +1 (518) 687-7100.
About the Lighting Research Center
The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the world's leading center for lighting research and education. Established in 1988 by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the LRC conducts research in light and human health, transportation lighting and safety, solid-state lighting, energy efficiency, and plant health. LRC lighting scientists with multidisciplinary expertise in research, technology, design, and human factors, collaborate with a global network of leading manufacturers and government agencies, developing innovative lighting solutions for projects that range from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to U.S. Navy submarines to hospital neonatal intensive-care units. In 1990, the LRC became the first university research center to offer graduate degrees in lighting and today, offers a M.S. in lighting and a Ph.D. to educate future leaders in lighting. Learn more at www.lrc.rpi.edu
About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is America's first technological research university. Rensselaer encompasses five schools, 32 research centers, more than 145 academic programs, and a dynamic community made up of more than 7,900 students and more than 100,000 living alumni. Rensselaer faculty and alumni include more than 145 National Academy members, six members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, six National Medal of Technology winners, five National Medal of Science winners, and a Nobel Prize winner in Physics. With nearly 200 years of experience advancing scientific and technological knowledge, Rensselaer remains focused on addressing global challenges with a spirit of ingenuity and collaboration.
About CARBON
CARBON is a social innovation and sustainable impact enterprise that creates blueprint, “CARBON copy” franchises of proven solutions with profitable models that advance Education, Women’s Resiliency, and Resource Efficiency (Food, Energy, Water). CARBON empowers entrepreneurs in communities around the world to achieve sustainable growth at an unprecedented velocity by implementing “economies in a box” through a financially inclusive model. https://www.carbongroup.global
About DSM
Partnering with companies across the entire value chain, DSM Additive Manufacturing wants to unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing to enable sustainable production and improving people’s living. Drawing on decades of experience in 3D printing technologies, performance materials and deep application expertise they help manufacturers change the way they design and manufacture products – to Manufacture Tomorrow. More on www.dsm.com/additive-manufacturing
The discovery workshop, organized by the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer in partnership with Carbon Group Global, was designed to understand the impact of 3D printing across all areas of buildings and construction, and especially its impact on lighting. Participants included leaders from Acuity Brands Lighting, Current by GE, Desktop Metal, DSM, Eaton Corp., Finelite, Focal Point, Henkel, HP, Hubbell Lighting, Lumileds, Stratasys, Tempo Lighting, Ultimaker and Carbon Group Global. The group focused on how to best assimilate 3D printing with the lighting industry, the mutual benefits to all stakeholders, and the implications to and the impact on the existing ecosystem.
“We are thrilled to host such a pioneering effort with industry leaders who have a shared vision of adopting 3D printing in the lighting and construction industries,” said LRC Director of Research Nadarajah Narendran, Ph.D., who was the chief architect of the workshop. Leading the workshop, industry veteran Govi Rao emphasized, “We are steadily embarking on the fourth Industrial Revolution, which is enabling capabilities like additive manufacturing to be adopted rapidly, thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning and enhanced connectivity.” Commenting on the workshop, Hugo da Silva, VP of Additive Manufacturing at DSM, a pioneer in 3D printing materials for more than 25 years, said, “We are excited that the lighting industry is taking a proactive approach to integrate 3D printing into their operations. I am extremely optimistic about the possibilities enabled by 3D printing, specifically for the various stakeholders in the lighting value chain.”
The group will soon embark on developing an industry roadmap to make additive manufacturing a viable option for the lighting, building, and construction industries.
The potential benefits of 3D printing include the ability for manufacturers to create custom products that are uniquely designed for spaces to be illuminated. Fixtures could be printed on-site and on-demand, benefitting the user/customer, the manufacturer, and the local construction industry. With 3D printing, the manufacture of individual lighting components, such as heat sinks, electrical traces, and optics, could be customized, enabling the design of parts that cannot be manufactured today by traditional methods, improving both aesthetics and functionality. Research is still needed to advance the integration of 3D printing into the lighting industry, beyond the current prototyping stage. To date, the Lighting Research Center has conducted initial investigations into the potential for printing thermal, electrical, and optical components.
For more information about the LRC’s 3D printing industry group, contact Dr. Nadarajah Narendran, [email protected] or +1 (518) 687-7100.
About the Lighting Research Center
The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the world's leading center for lighting research and education. Established in 1988 by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the LRC conducts research in light and human health, transportation lighting and safety, solid-state lighting, energy efficiency, and plant health. LRC lighting scientists with multidisciplinary expertise in research, technology, design, and human factors, collaborate with a global network of leading manufacturers and government agencies, developing innovative lighting solutions for projects that range from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to U.S. Navy submarines to hospital neonatal intensive-care units. In 1990, the LRC became the first university research center to offer graduate degrees in lighting and today, offers a M.S. in lighting and a Ph.D. to educate future leaders in lighting. Learn more at www.lrc.rpi.edu
About Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Founded in 1824, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is America's first technological research university. Rensselaer encompasses five schools, 32 research centers, more than 145 academic programs, and a dynamic community made up of more than 7,900 students and more than 100,000 living alumni. Rensselaer faculty and alumni include more than 145 National Academy members, six members of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, six National Medal of Technology winners, five National Medal of Science winners, and a Nobel Prize winner in Physics. With nearly 200 years of experience advancing scientific and technological knowledge, Rensselaer remains focused on addressing global challenges with a spirit of ingenuity and collaboration.
About CARBON
CARBON is a social innovation and sustainable impact enterprise that creates blueprint, “CARBON copy” franchises of proven solutions with profitable models that advance Education, Women’s Resiliency, and Resource Efficiency (Food, Energy, Water). CARBON empowers entrepreneurs in communities around the world to achieve sustainable growth at an unprecedented velocity by implementing “economies in a box” through a financially inclusive model. https://www.carbongroup.global
About DSM
Partnering with companies across the entire value chain, DSM Additive Manufacturing wants to unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing to enable sustainable production and improving people’s living. Drawing on decades of experience in 3D printing technologies, performance materials and deep application expertise they help manufacturers change the way they design and manufacture products – to Manufacture Tomorrow. More on www.dsm.com/additive-manufacturing
Contact:
Rebekah MullaneyManager, Research Communications
Lighting Research Center
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
www.lrc.rpi.edu
(518) 687-7100
[email protected]
Email:
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