Advanced Manufacturing Energy Basics

Advanced manufacturing uses new technology to improve products or processes.

Advanced manufacturing materials and processes drive innovation and enable cost-effective energy solutions.

Manufacturing jobs are critical to the U.S. economy and are in strong demand as the industrial sector evolves to keep pace in national and global markets. NREL is uniquely positioned to support this need by providing extensive knowledge and support in this area.

Advanced Manufacturing Examples

• Additive manufacturing uses design software or 3D printing to build objects one layer at a time.
• Robotics employs computer-programmed machines (or robots) to perform manufacturing tasks.
• Automated manufacturing processes use advanced controls and sensors to increase productivity and reduce costs.
• Electrification replaces conventional technologies with those powered by electricity.
• Novel materials reduce the energy required to develop products and improve their ability to be recycled.

NREL also investigates supply chains constraints and limitations—such as those with rare earth elements and other critical materials—and applies researchers’ extensive understanding of integrated energy solutions to help manufacturers achieve reliable and secure operations.   

Advanced Manufacturing Technologies

Advanced manufacturing technologies—such as power electronics, roll-to-roll manufacturing, and thermoplastic resins—help the United States lower the cost of domestic manufacturing and energy generation, particularly in energy-intensive industries, like steel and concrete, and help them remain globally competitive.

Learn about the following advanced manufacturing technologies and approaches:

Bio-optimized technologies take apart plastic waste using a combination of chemical and natural processes, making it possible to recycle and upcycle (or find a new use for) plastic goods and inform ways to design products for recyclability.

Resilient power electronics enable seamless integration of various energy resources with the electrical grid.

Thermoplastic resins, which soften to a liquid in high heat and then harden again when cooled and can be made all or in part out of natural materials, make some products more recyclable.

Roll-to-roll manufacturing is a method of coating flexible materials with thin films of material, which can lower the cost and improve the efficiency of making energy products such as flexible electronic devices as well as fibers and textiles.

Powering the manufacturing industry with an energy mix can pave the way for combined heat and power systems, power electronics, and energy storage manufacturing solutions that use domestic energy supplies to enable continuous operation.

Benefits of Advanced Manufacturing

Advanced manufacturing helps ensure that:

• The products we rely on every day are made in the most cost-effective ways
• U.S. manufacturers will continue to employ local workers while using domestic resources to make products.

Additional Resources

Advanced Manufacturing Research

Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (U.S. Department of Energy)

Industrial Technologies Office (U.S. Department of Energy)