In a statement from industry minister Christopher Pyne, he said manufacturing remained an important driver of the nation’s economy, but needed to increase the adoption of newer technologies such as 3D printing.

“The centre will enable manufacturers to innovate with less capital investment risk – one of the major barriers in adopting 3D metal printing,” said Pyne.

Lab 22 was launched during National Manufacturing Week in May and named Keech as its first top-tier industry partner. There have been nine businesses in total signing up as industry partners since May.

The Clayton headquarters of the hub are logical, with the strength of Melbourne’s metal 3D printing capabilities lauded by leading industry consultant Terry Wohlers of Wohlers Associates in June.

“The Melbourne area, alone, may well have the highest mix of metal AM systems in the world (in an area of this size), with nine direct metal AM systems,” he wrote in an article on his Wohlers Talk blog.