FRONT DOOR TO ADDITIVE EXHIBIT
America Makes – National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute
INTRODUCES ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, EXPLORES LOCAL AND NATIONAL IMPACT AND PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL OVERVIEW
America Makes, the nation’s leading and collaborative partner in additive manufacturing (AM)/3D printing (3DP) technology and workforce development, is an innovative organization in a dynamic industry. The purpose of the design renovation and creative scheme provided was to update the messaging and architectural flow to better reflect this. Space adaptability, industry excitement and education, organizational impact (local, regional, national) and current featured projects were fundamental concepts of the design. These concept objectives were reached through use of blended media (video, interactive touchscreens and holographs), movable museum-like architectural components and creative elements of interactivity.
Enjoy several video components of the exhibit by clicking the play buttons below. Learn about America Makes and AM industry.
welcomes guests and shows the progression of industrial revolutions and evolution of manufacturing
Accelerating the Adoption of Additive Manufacturing
overviews impact both America Makes and additive manufacturing are having on America
Manufacturing History of the Mahoning Valley
highlights industrial history of Youngstown from steel belt to rust belt to tech belt
gives summary for basic understanding of the processes of additive manufacturing and their applications
FRONT DOOR TO ADDITIVE EXHIBIT
America Makes – National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute
INTRODUCES ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY, EXPLORES LOCAL AND NATIONAL IMPACT, PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL OVERVIEW
America Makes, the nation’s leading and collaborative partner in additive manufacturing (AM)/3D printing (3DP) technology and workforce development, is an innovative organization in a dynamic industry. The purpose of the design renovation and creative scheme provided was to update the messaging and architectural flow to better reflect this. Space adaptability, industry excitement and education, organizational impact (local, regional, national) and current featured projects were fundamental concepts of the design. These concept objectives were reached through use of blended media (video, interactive touchscreens and holographs), movable museum-like architectural components and creative elements of interactivity.
Enjoy several video components of the exhibit by clicking the play buttons below. Learn about America Makes and AM industry.
Welcome to America Makes, welcomes guests and shows the progression of industrial revolutions and evolution of manufacturing
Accelerating the Adoption of Additive Manufacturing, overviews impact both America Makes and additive manufacturing are having on America
Manufacturing History of the Mahoning Valley, highlights industrial history of Youngstown from steel belt to rust belt to tech belt
Additive 101, gives summary for basic understanding of the processes of additive manufacturing and their applications
Exhibit Zones
The project concept was to create a logical storytelling exhibit that would guide visitors through five distinct zones, each explaining an important component in the evolution of industry in America.
1
Welcome guests to America Makes. Introduce manufacturing and how it sociologically transformed and impacted development of modern civilization.
2
Educate visitors on the tremendous impact America Makes and additive manufacturing have on the landscape of America.
3
Explain how Youngstown has evolved from once being part of the country’s steel belt, then rust belt and is now emerging as the epicenter of the tech belt.
4
Provide basic understanding of the processes of additive manufacturing through holograph displays, project samples and an educational video overview.
5
Space for members of industry, academia, government, workforce and economic development organizations to convene, coordinate and catalyze.
Welcome
Zone 1 introduces the impact of manufacturing and how it sociologically has transformed and impacted development of modern civilization. We created a welcome video to show the progression of industrial revolutions and evolution of manufacturing, designed a welcome station to registers guest and developed signage to overview America Makes. The frosted window design separating the lobby from rest of the exhibit features the topography of the Mahoning River, along which Youngstown was founded. This was thoughtfully incorporated as land and additive manufacturing share parallel stories, both built and created in a layering process. And just as Youngstown convened, catalyzed and coordinated as a bustling city along the river, so too America Makes convenes, catalyzes and coordinates bold and innovative minds along this same “river”.
National Impact
The national impact zone of the exhibit educates visitors on the tremendous impact both America Makes and additive manufacturing are having on the landscape of America. An introductory video is played before guests have the opportunity to navigate through several recent projects through touch-screen technology. After watching the short video on how America Makes’ has accelerated the adoption of additive manufacturing, visitors navigate through projects on the interactive kiosk using touch-screen technology. The first interactive projects we featured had nationwide, impactful objectives like maintaining and sustaining legacy aircraft for the U.S. Air Force, developing and validating a prototype digital AM supply chain for the U.S. Army and Department of Defense Original Equipment Manufacturers, and creating a STEM talent pool to sustain U.S. competitive edge, global competitiveness and economic security.
Youngstown, a U.S. Manufacturing Example
Once into this portion of the exhibit, we felt it was important to give the visitor a sense of place. Why Youngstown? This zone explains through a silent photo loop and didactic walls showing the city’s history at a glance, how Youngstown has evolved and is emerging as the epicenter of country’s new tech belt. A key component of this zone is the integration of a part blueprint from one of Youngstown’s steel mills. The part, previously manufactured through the steel manufacturing process, included this hand-drawn blueprint. With the invention of additive manufacturing, this same part, as shown on the iPad in the exhibit, can be drawn digitally and 3D-printed. By walking visitors through the local story of a city once part of the steel belt, then the rust belt and now as part of the tech belt it is the hope that people will leave the experience with a sense of hope for the future and interest in learning more about additive manufacturing.
Understanding Additive Manufacturing Processes
The educational zone of the exhibit is the largest and ever-changing. It’s full of exciting stories, real-world additive manufactured examples in both holograph and actual form, and ways to quickly understand the complex world of additive manufacturing. The purpose of this area is to overview of the seven processes of additive manufacturing and their applications through tactile, immersive experiences. Content was developed with audiences of varied interests, from elementary to engineer, in mind. Each process—Binder Jetting, Directed Energy Deposition, Material Extrusion, Material Jetting, Sheet Lamination, Vat Photopolymerization, Powder Bed Fusion—are explained in the educational video in everyday language.
Collaborative Conversation Space
The aim of collaborative hall in the exhibit is to provide a comfortable landing space for visitors and staff to host the inspired conversations, ideas and questions that are birthed from the experience of the first four zones. This space is used for further education, training and meeting opportunities—to align with America Makes’ goals to unite the community, encourage collaboration and to build a comprehensive and globally competitive American additive manufacturing ecosystem.
Welcome to America Makes
The aim of Zone 1 is to give an introductory understanding of the impact of manufacturing and how it sociologically has transformed and impacted development of modern civilization. Here we will created a Welcome to America Makes video to show the progression of industrial revolutions and evolution of manufacturing. This zone was designed to welcome guests, have them register for the tour experience, generate excitement to enter the exhibit and define who is America Makes and what are their aspirations.
Making a National Impact
The aim of Zone 2 is to educate visitors on the tremendous impact both America Makes and additive manufacturing are having on the landscape of America. An introductory video is played before guests have the opportunity to navigate through several recent projects through touch-screen technology.
Youngstown’s Journey from Steel Belt to Rust Belt to Tech Belt
The aim of Zone 3 is to give the visitor a sense of place. This zone explains through a silent photo loop and didactic walls showing the city’s timeline, historic photography and editorial how Youngstown has evolved and is emerging as the epicenter of country’s new tech belt. A key component of this zone is the integration of an exhibit showing a part previously created through a hand-drawn blue-print, steel manufacturing process that with the invention of additive manufacturing can now be drawn digitally and 3D-printed. Visitors will leave the experience with a sense of hope for the future.
Understanding AM Processes
The aim of Zone 4 is to give understanding of the processes of additive manufacturing and its applications through tactile, immersive experiences. The content available in this zone was developed with audiences of varied interests, from elementary to engineer, in mind. Each process is explained in everyday language and includes specifications and details relevant to keep the interest of those intimately involved in the industry. Multiple sample projects of each process type are displayed and a short Additive Manufacturing Processes video overviews for additional impact.
Collaborative Conversation Space
The aim of Zone 5 is to provide a comfortable landing space for visitors and staff to host the inspired conversations, ideas and questions that are birthed from the experience of the first 4 zones. This space is used for further education, training and meeting opportunities.
America Makes is the nation’s leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM) technology and education. America Makes members from industry, academia, government, workforce and economic development organizations, work together to accelerate the adoption of AM and the nation’s global manufacturing competitiveness.
Founded in 2012 as the Department of Defense’s national manufacturing innovation institute for AM and first of the Manufacturing USA network, America Makes is based in Youngstown, Ohio and managed by the not-for-profit National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). Visit www.americamakes.us to learn more.
