The 3D print revolution has finally hit the Dutch, where the government in collaboration with research institutes and industry giants gets geared to make investments worth €134 million in various areas like education funding at TNO, a research institute and the Technical University of Eindhoven. Funds will also be given out to PrintValley 2020, a medical 3D printing platform.
The investments from TNO and Deltares will go PeetAplant which specializes in horticulture, SURF, The Erasmus Medical Center, Twentr University, TU Deflft, and TU Eindhoven.
The Dutch government is fishing out € 40 million of the total € 134 million in interest-free loans through their initiative-Future Fund for Research Facilities. And Hans Kemp, the minister of economic affairs stated that innovations were the biggest contributing factors for their success in various fields and these funds will help boost the economic and research-based developments. Future End has been pivotal in aiding government investments as it provides 15 years loan on research projects.
PrintValley 2020, a 3D printing service will receive €2.6 million as grants for developing the PrintValley knowledge center. The researchers from TNU and TU Eindhoven have conceived this idea which aims at configuring all processes of 3D printing, using varied materials and experimenting with numerous ideas at different speeds across many platforms. Bionics implants, smart electronics are some of the fields, they aimed at foraying in.
EBL -2 ( Extreme Beam Line ) a potential to the semiconductor industry, and Special Optics Manufacturing Facility, engaged in constructing satellite parts and climatic study equipment, are the 2 major proposals that will receive grants from the TNO. The Dutch government has realized the importance of collaboration of various industries to keep up with the international competition which is leading the path to positive research and development.
Source: 3ders.org