Additive Manufacturing: A Review of Export Controls and Nuclear Nonproliferation Challenges

摘要

Additive manufacturing (AM) represents an emerging technology within the manufacturing sector that is gaining in global popularity as a mechanism to reduce lead time and cost, while improving availability and manufacturability of complex parts. Although the potential prospects - especially economic - for this technology, equipment, and associated processes may be great, the resulting proliferation risk may also be substantive. This summary outlines the current state and progress in AM development, focusing on United States' interests and the civilian nuclear industry; identifies how AM-related technology, equipment, and processes are covered under current export control regulations in the United States and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG); summarizes the potential proliferation risk through historical example; and, discusses the AM supply chain and recommendations for how export controls may evolve to better mitigate the proliferation concerns. An overall understanding of the AM technology and how the industry is progressing is critical to both identifying the proliferation concerns and assessing how multilateral regime guidelines and national export control regulations can evolve to effectively address them.