This discussion paper aims to set out the key challenges and opportunities emerging from distributed manufacturing (DM). We begin by describing the concept, available definitions and consider its evolution where recent production technology developments (such as additive and continuous production process technologies), digitisation together with infrastructural developments (in terms of IoT and big-data) provide new opportunities.To further explore the evolving nature of DM, the authors, each of whom are involved in specific applications of DM research, examined within a workshop environment emerging DM applications involving new production and supporting infrastructural technologies. This paper presents these generalizable findings on DM challenges and opportunities in terms of products, enabling production technologies, and the impact on the wider production and industrial system. Industry structure and location of activities are examined in terms of the democrat impact on participating network actors.The paper concludes with a discussion on the changing nature of manufacturing as a result of DM, from the traditional centralised, large scale, long lead-time forecast driven production operations, to a new DM paradigm where manufacturing is a decentralised, autonomous near end-user driven activity. A forward research agenda is proposed that considers the impact of DM on the industrial and urban landscape.

Ink-jet printing is an important process for placing active electronics on plastic substrates. We demonstrate ink-jet printing as a viable method for large area fabrication of carbon nanotube ͑CNT͒ thin film transistors ͑TFTs͒. We investigate different routes for producing stable CNT solutions ͑"inks"͒. These consist of dispersion methods for CNT debundling and the use of different solvents, such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The resulting printable inks are dispensed by ink-jet onto electrode bearing silicon substrates. The source to drain electrode gap is bridged by percolating networks of CNTs. Despite the presence of metallic CNTs, our devices exhibit field effect behavior, with effective mobility of ϳ0.07 cm 2 / V s and ON/OFF current ratio of up to 100. This result demonstrates the feasibility of ink-jet printing of nanostructured materials for TFT manufacture.

We investigate and compare complementary approaches to SiNW production in terms of yield, morphology control, and electrical properties. Vapor-phase techniques are considered, including chemical vapor deposition ͑with or without the assistance of a plasma͒ and thermal evaporation. We report Au-catalyzed nucleation of SiNWs at temperatures as low as 300°C using SiH 4 as precursor. We get yields up to several milligrams by metal-free condensation of SiO powders. For all processes, we control the final nanostructure morphology. We then report concentrated and stable dispersions of SiNWs in solvents compatible with semiconducting organic polymers. Finally, we investigate the electrical response of intrinsic SiNWs grown by different methods. All our SiNWs exhibit p-type behavior and comparable performance, though in some cases ambipolar devices are observed. Thus, processing and morphology, rather than the growth technique, are key to achieve optimal samples for applications.

Here we report on the DNA-templated self-assembly of conducting gold nanowires between gold electrodes lithographically patterned on a silicon oxide substrate. An aqueous dispersion of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine-stabilized gold nanoparticles was prepared. These nanoparticles recognize and bind selectively double-stranded calf thymus DNA aligned between the gold electrodes to form a linear nanoparticle array. Continuous polycrystalline gold nanowires are obtained by electroless deposition that enlarges and enjoins the individual gold nanoparticles. The above nanowires were structurally characterized using a range of electron and scanning probe microscopies and electrically characterized at room temperature using a standard probe setup. The results of these characterizations show these wires to be 20 nm high and 40 nm wide, to be continuous between interdigitated gold electrodes with an interelectrode spacing of 0.2 or 1.0 μm, and to possess a resistivity of 2 × 10-4 Ωm. These DNA-templated nanowires, the smallest reported to date, exhibit resistivities consistent with reported findings and current theory. The use of DNA as a template for the self-assembly of conducting gold nanowires represents a potentially important approach to the fabrication of nanoscale interconnects.