Hydrogen Energy, Nanomanufacturing and Intelligent Manufacturing Identified as Critical Key Areas for Future Manufacturing

A new report identifies and describes research and development priorities for the future of three critical, high-tech U.S. manufacturing areas - hydrogen energy technologies, nanomanufacturing and intelligent and integrated manufacturing. The report, Manufacturing the Future: Federal Priorities for Manufacturing R&D, was prepared by the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Manufacturing R&D of the National Science and Technology Council’s (NSTC) Committee on Technology.

Competing successfully in today’s fast-paced global community requires rapid innovation, research and production methods to cost-effectively bring products to market. The report describes the significance of each of the three critical manufacturing R&D areas, details the challenges essential for progress, discusses existing interagency collaborations and provides recommendations for future research. It identifies these areas as potentially leveraging scientific and technological advances to transform knowledge and materials into valuable products.

Much of this research falls under the American Competitiveness Initiative, a government-funded mandate to increase investments in R&D, education and entrepreneurship. These manufacturing areas also correspond to existing priorities established by the federal government through the President’s Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, the National Nanotechnology Initiative and the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program.