Design Thinking for Additive Manufacturing (12 hours)
Introduction
Design Thinking for Additive Manufacturing (AM) empowers participants to unlock the full potential of additive manufacturing (AM) by combining creativity with technical mastery. Anchored to the emerging skill of Additive Manufacturing – Design and apply additive manufacturing workflows to create three-dimensional objects, this course aims to help participants bridge the gap between innovative design and real-world manufacturability. Through design thinking principles, participants will learn to reimagine products for AM — creating smarter, lighter, and more efficient solutions.
About the Programme
In this 12-hour hands-on programme, participants will dive into practical exercises in designing components, taking into consideration the process chain map and design constraints, while leveraging industry-standard tools for simulation and topology optimisation. They will explore the possibilities and constraints of various AM processes and learn how to design products that are not only manufacturable but also cost-effective and performance-driven.
Engineers, product designers, and R&D professionals will find this course particularly valuable in industries such as aerospace, semiconductor, automotive and maritime — where AM is revolutionising how products are designed and produced. By the end of the course, participants will be able to design and implement end-to-end AM workflows — from concept ideation to prototyping and evaluation — aligned with the latest industry standards and innovations from identification of component for AM to modelling and simulation and finally mapping the process chain.
Who Should Attend
This course is ideal for engineers, product designers, and R&D professionals who want to stay ahead in industries adopting additive manufacturing (AM). It is especially suited for those seeking to apply Design for AM (DfAM) principles to develop innovative, manufacturable, and cost-effective products that meet tomorrow’s market needs.
What You Will Learn
By the end of this course, participants will be able to design and apply complete additive manufacturing (AM) workflows that transform creative ideas into high-performance, manufacturable products.
Through hands-on activities and real-world examples, they will gain practical insights into how AM can enhance design freedom, production efficiency, and business impact.
Participants will learn to:
- Understand that Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) aims to leverage the unique capabilities of additive manufacturing (AM) processes.
- Recognise the distinct advantages of AM and how to utilise them effectively.
- Identify the limitations of AM processes and how to design products that comply with those limitations.
- Differentiate between DfAM and design for conventional manufacturing processes.
- Explore specific considerations related to Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) and Directed Energy Deposition (DED) processes.
- Gain insight into AM process chains and how to ensure that design requirements are met throughout the process.
- Learn about computer-aided design (CAD), design technologies, and simulation, and how these tools relate to DfAM.
- Understand how design rules can help improve part functionality while mitigating the limitations of AM processes.
- Apply DfAM concepts, methods, and tools to solve engineering design challenges.
- Familiarise themselves with design standards for additive manufacturing.
Upon Completion Of This Course
Participants will be awarded with a Certificate of Attendance (COA) by SIMTech and/or ARTC if they meet the following criteria:
- Achieve at least 75% course attendance;
- Take all assessments; and
- Pass the course.
Note: Trainees will have to bear the full course fee upon failure to meet either one of the criteria.
Pre-Requisites
- Applicants should possess a degree in any discipline or a diploma with a minimum of 3 years of related working experience.
- Applicants who do not have the required academic qualifications are still welcome to apply, but shortlisted candidates may be required to attend an interview for special approval.
- Proficiency in written and spoken English.
Full Course Fee
The full course fee for this course is $1,200 before funding and prevailing GST.
Nett Course Fee
| International Participants |
Singapore Citizens aged 39 years and below, Singapore Permanent Residents and LTVP+ Holders | Employer-sponsored and self-sponsored Singapore Citizens aged 40 years and above (MCES) ² | SME-sponsored local employees (i.e Singapore Citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents and LTVP+ Holders) (ETSS) ¹ |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,308 | $392.40 | $152.40 | $152.40 |
How Course Fees are Calculated
| TYPE | CATEGORY OF INDIVIDUALS | |||
| International Participants | Singapore Citizens aged 39 years and below, Singapore Permanent Residents and LTVP+ Holders | Employer-sponsored and self-sponsored Singapore Citizens aged 40 years and above | SME-sponsored local employees (i.e Singapore Citizens, Singapore Permanent Residents and LTVP+ Holders) | |
| FUNDING SOURCE | ||||
| Not applicable for SkillsFuture Funding | SkillsFuture Funding (Baseline) | SkillsFuture Mid-career Enhanced Subsidy (MCES) ² | SkillsFuture Enhanced Training Support for SMEs (ETSS) ¹ | |
| Full Course Fee | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| SkillsFuture Funding | Not Applicable | ($840) | ($1,080) | ($1,080) |
| Nett Course Fee | $1,200 | $360 | $120 | $120 |
| GST 9% | $108 | $32.40* | $32.40* | $32.40* |
| Total Nett Course Fee Payable to Training Provider | $1,308 | $392.40 | $152.40 | $152.40 |
About the Trainers
- Professor David Rosen
- Senior Principal Scientist
A*STAR
- Dr Sharon Nai
- Senior Principal Scientist
A*STAR SIMTech - Director
A*STAR Additive Innovation Centre (AIC)
- Mr Justin Tan
- Senior Research Engineer
A*STAR SIMTech
Professor David Rosen
Senior Principal Scientist
A*STAR
A*STAR
Email: Se
Professor David Rosen is a Senior Principal Scientist at A*STAR, Singapore and a former Professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), USA. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts. Prof. Rosen is an internationally recognised expert in additive manufacturing, serving as Chair of ASTM F42.04 (Design) and a Fellow of both ASTM International and ASME. His research focuses on design methodology, computer-aided design (CAD), design for additive manufacturing (DfAM), and additive manufacturing technologies. He has authored a leading textbook in the field and published extensively, with an h-index of 79 and more than 40,000 citations. Prof. Rosen has made significant contributions to advancing additive manufacturing design standards, methodologies, and industrial applications worldwide.
Dr Sharon Nai
Senior Principal Scientist
A*STAR SIMTech
A*STAR SIMTech
Director
A*STAR Additive Innovation Centre (AIC)
A*STAR Additive Innovation Centre (AIC)
Dr Sharon Nai is a Senior Principal Scientist at A*STAR SIMTech and Director of the Additive Innovation Centre (AIC), a translational hub supported by NAMIC. She holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and has extensive experience in additive and advanced manufacturing. She has led numerous industry-collaborative R&D projects, translating research into industrial applications and establishing joint laboratories with local and international partners. She has published over 150 peer-reviewed journal papers and filed two patents. Her achievements have been recognised through the SG100 Women in Tech Award (2021), the A*STAR Fellowship (2023), the NUS Distinguished Alumni Award (2025) and the TCT Women in 3D Printing Innovator Award (2026).
Mr Justin Tan
Senior Research Engineer
A*STAR SIMTech
A*STAR SIMTech
Mr Justin Tan is a Senior Research Engineer with A*STAR SIMTech’s Additive Innovation Centre (AIC). He received his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Product Development (Mechanical Engineering) from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). His main research areas include polymer additive manufacturing and materials characterization. His current research interest includes process development in polymer laser powder-bed fusion (selective laser sintering) and design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM).
Registration
- Please register for this course through our online form: Course Registration Form for Public Classes.
- For the first question, please select "Modular Programmes (Standalone Modules)".
- Applicants will be placed on our waiting list if the course does not have an upcoming scheduled intake.
- When the next intake is confirmed, a confirmation email with payment information will be sent to applicants to finalise their participation.
Collateral
Download brochure ~ Currently unavailable
Contact Us
- For general enquiries, please contact Dr SEET Hang Li at Email: seet_hang_li@a-star.edu.sg
- For technical information, please contact Mr Justin TAN at Email: justin_tan@a-star.edu.sg
Schedule
|
Module
|
Skills Course Reference Number | Next Intake(s)' Training Period (Click on the dates to view their schedules) |
Registration Status |
|
TGS-2025059544 | The next intake is still in the planning stage. |
Note: A*STAR SIMTech and A*STAR ARTC reserve the right to change the class/schedule/course fee or any details about the course without prior notice to the participants.
Announcement:
- From 1 Oct 2023, attendance-taking for SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)'s funded courses must be done digitally via the Singpass App. More information may be viewed here.
- Participants will be provided with digital course materials when attending our courses. Please note that printed copies will not be available.
Sessions
: Full day
: Morning
: Afternoon
: EveningQuick Link
- View the full list of modular programmes offered by A*STAR SIMTech and A*STAR ARTC.