Another technological advance has been made possible by the transition from analogue to digital. Communication, photography, architecture, and engineering have all undergone digital revolutions in the last few decades. Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to improve manufacturing processes thanks to the digital efficiency and adaptability it offers.
Through the use of computer-aided design (CAD) programmes or 3D object scanners, additive manufacturing machines are given instructions to deposit material in precise geometric shapes. As its name suggests, additive manufacturing entails adding new material to an already-existing design in order to create a brand-new product. In contrast, it is often necessary to remove material when working with a hand tool, such as milling, carving, or sculpting.
While terms like “3D printing” and “rapid prototyping” are often used interchangeably with “additive manufacturing,” these techniques are actually subsets of AM.
Additive manufacturing is a concept that may seem new to some people, but it has actually been around for quite some time. In the right situations, the improved performance, complex geometry, and simplified production that come with additive manufacturing are invaluable. This means that advocates of additive manufacturing can choose from a wide range of viable solutions.
3D printing can be used to make physical objects from digital blueprints by layering resin to create a three-dimensional object. Given 3D printing’s meteoric rise in popularity in recent years, you might be wondering why it’s classified as “additive manufacturing.” It’s not for nothing that 3D printing gave rise to the term “additive manufacturing.” As we’ve established, 3D printers use resin to build the object layer by layer. Cutting or removing material from a larger object, which are common methods of production and forging, are not used here.
What is Additive Manufacturing?
“Additive manufacturing” is a fitting term for the processes that use layer upon layer of material to construct three-dimensional objects out of plastic, metal, concrete, or even human flesh.
Common to all AM techniques are the use of computers for design (known as CAD) software, specialised machinery, and a stack of raw materials. Using data from a CAD file, AM equipment builds a 3D object layer by layer using liquids, powders, sheets, and other materials.
AM encompasses a wide range of technologies, including but not limited to 3D printing, rapid prototyping, direct digital manufacturing (DDM), layered manufacturing, and additive fabrication.
The applications of AM are practically limitless. Historically, Rapid Prototyping-an early form of AM-was employed primarily for the production of prototypes prior to mass manufacturing. Airplanes, dental fillings, medical implants, cars, and even clothing are just some of the recent examples of how AM is being put to use in the manufacturing of final products.
Even though layer amplification is the most fundamental approach to AM, there are a wide variety of more complex AM applications that can serve a variety of purposes.
- A visualisation tool in the design phase has the potential to one day become standard industrial tooling for producing single or relatively few of a given component in production. This would allow for the creation of highly personalised products for both consumers and professionals.
Many people think of additive manufacturing (AM) as a complementary technique to conventional subtractive manufacturing (like drilling) (like forging). Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to redefine traditional production methods while also giving consumers and professionals greater agency in product design, customization, and repair.
Whether it’s made of plastic, metal, concrete, or even human tissue one day, AM is always a sight to behold and can be defined by the addition of layer upon layer of any material.
Additive manufacturing vs. subtractive manufacturing
Having or displaying an aptitude for addition To put it simply, additive processes involve the incorporation of new substances.
The adjective “subtractive” means “pertaining to or capable of removing or subtracting.” It’s a process that takes away rather than adds.
Subtractive manufacturing
Today, subtractive manufacturing is the dominant production technique around the globe. If you start with a large chunk of something and progressively reduce it in size, you will eventually reach your goal.
This process goes by various names, including machining.
Machining includes processes like hollowing, cutting, and removing pieces from a block of material. An item of metal or plastic could do the job.
Additive manufacturing
AM creates 3D objects by starting with a blank slate and gradually adding layers. Additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing (AM).
The last few decades have seen tremendous advancements in AM technology. All the way from jet engine turbines to car parts to entire houses can now be printed on the latest generation of 3D printers.
How does additive manufacturing work?
With the help of CAD programmes, “additive manufacturing” techniques can construct complex three-dimensional objects layer by layer. Each successive layer is bound to the one beneath it by the melting or partially melting substance. Materials such as metal powder, thermoplastics, ceramics, composites, glass, and even edibles like chocolate can be used as a base layer.
To print a 3D object, CAD software “slices” the object into extremely thin layers. Material is deposited precisely on top of the previous layer thanks to this information, which guides the nozzle or print head. Alternately, a bed of powdered material could be selectively melted or partially melted using a laser or electron beam. When a liquid or a solid cools or cures, it forms a three-dimensional object.
The transformation from digital file to tangible 3D object is reshaping the manufacturing industry. Making moulds and dies is no longer a necessary but costly intermediate step.
Additive Manufacturing Processes
In the realm of AM, there are numerous processes, each with its own set of requirements.
Binder Jetting
Powdered material and liquid binder are deposited in successive layers using an x, y, and z-axis 3D printing type head.
Directed Energy Deposition
Additive manufacturing with direct energy deposition can be used with a wide variety of materials, including ceramics, metals, and polymers. A laser, electric arc, or electron beam cannon mounted on an arm liquefies wire, filament feedstock, or powder as the bed moves up and down.
Material Extrusion
With this well-liked AM technique, polymer spools are extruded or dragged past a heated nozzle mounted on a movable arm. The bed and nozzle both move horizontally, allowing the melted material to accumulate in layers as it moves upward through the nozzle. Temperature control or chemical bonding agents are used to ensure the layers stick together.
Powder Bed Fusion
Direct metal laser melting (DMLM), electron beam melting (EBM), selective laser sintering (SLS), and selective heat sintering (SHS) are all examples of the powder bed fusion process (SHS). Using electron beams, lasers, or thermal print heads, very thin layers of material can be heated and the excess powder can be blasted away.
Sheet Lamination
Sheet lamination techniques include ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) and laminated object manufacturing (LOM) (UAM). In the production of laminated objects, alternating layers of paper and glue are used to create visually appealing final products. UAM is a low-energy, low-temperature ultrasonic welding method that can be used to weld aluminium, stainless steel, and titanium.
Vat Polymerisation
Piece is constructed in a vat of liquid resin photopolymer. Each resin layer undergoes photopolymerization with the help of mirrors that focus ultraviolet light.
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing
Wire-arc AM employs welding arcs and manipulators to create 3D shapes via arc deposition. Wire is commonly used as a material source in this process to get the desired shape. Additive manufacturing is typically performed by robots.
Additive Manufacturing Technologies
In AM, you can classify gadgets into three broad groups.
Sintering is one method; it involves heating the material without melting it to create complex, high-resolution shapes. Different from direct metal laser sintering, which uses metal powder, selective laser sintering uses a laser to fuse together specific thermoplastic powders.
Examples of this second type of AM method, which completely melts the materials, include direct laser metal sintering, which uses a laser to melt layers of metal powder, and electron beam melting, which uses electron beams to melt the powders.
Photopolymerisation is used in stereolithography to create high-temperature, torque-resistant ceramic parts by directing an ultraviolet laser into a vat of photopolymer resin.
How Does it Work & Processes Involved?
Additive manufacturing involves adding new components to an existing one rather than removing ones.
By cutting away various amounts of a material, traditional manufacturing techniques carve and shape raw materials into their final forms. Look no further than additive manufacturing if you want a radical departure from subtractive methods. Computer and specialised CAD software are needed so that the printer can “print” the correct form.
The technology “prints” the substance into the form one wafer-thin layer at a time using a cartridge that can be loaded with a wide range of substances. To complete the shape, these layers are printed on top of one another and fused together.
What are the Benefits?
Conventional manufacturing techniques allow for a great deal of design freedom, but additive manufacturing takes things to a whole new level.
The ability to create a broader range of shapes is a significant benefit of this more recent technology. Designs that would have been impossible to create in one piece using traditional methods are now feasible thanks to this technology. A hollow centre, for instance, can be achieved without any welding or assembly of individual components. On top of being more long-lasting, this has no vulnerable spots where damage could be done.
As opposed to holding endless rounds of meetings with engineers, the additive manufacturing process allows for rapid iteration of designs. With CAD software, modifications can be made quickly and easily with a few mouse clicks. In some cases, a full model can be made in a single day using rapid prototyping methods. As a result, companies have more leeway and could potentially lower prices.
Too often in the past, design has been impacted by manufacturing constraints, leading to the rejection of novel ideas as impossible to produce. This new technology has completely flipped the process on its head with its invention and subsequent development.
Examples of Additive Manufacturing (AM)
SLA
Laser curing of photopolymer resin in multiple layers is a sophisticated process (polymer that changes properties when exposed to light).
A large vat of resin is used for the process. Laser light focused into the resin pool traces the model’s cross-sectional shape and cures it. Over the course of a build, the platform on which work is done is gradually lowered by one layer’s worth of material. It’s fascinating to watch the building or model take shape. In order to accurately represent certain details in the model, it may be necessary to use exotic materials. Models are used as patterns for injection moulding, thermoforming, and other casting processes, and these patterns can be machined.
FDM
Using indexing nozzles to inject thermoplastic (a polymer that changes state from liquid to solid and back again when cooled) materials onto a platform is a process-oriented method. By waiting until the thermoplastic material hardens before applying the next layer, the nozzles can accurately follow the cross-sectional design. It’s fascinating to watch the building or model take shape. Possibly certain model attributes need to be supported by specialised material. They could be used as a template in SLA or be machined. It is attractive and easy to operate.
MJM
Just like an inkjet printer, it applies a layer of homopolymer material at a time using hundreds of tiny jets.
3DP
A model is constructed in a container using either starch or a plaster-based powder. A layer receives just the right amount of glue from the inkjet printer head as it flits from one to the next. After the initial layer of binder is applied, more binder is swept over the powder. This process must be repeated until the model is finished. The model’s framework is made of loose powder. This is the only method that includes colour.
SLS
Technology that is nearly identical to SLA but not quite. SLS, or selective laser sintering, is a technique that uses a highly focused laser to precisely fuse together minute particles of a material like plastic, metal, ceramic, or glass. Over the course of a build, the platform on which work is done is gradually lowered by one layer’s worth of material. This process is repeated as many times as necessary to finish the model or structure. Everything is over now. In place of the support material used in selective laser sintering (SLA), unsintered material is employed.
Additive manufacturing applications
Incredibly varied products, from kitchen innovations to parts for jet engines, have been made using additive manufacturing.
Aerospace
To reduce their overall weight, components with complex geometric patterns lend themselves well to AM’s capabilities. That’s why it’s the material of choice for many aeronautical components that need to be both light and strong.
In August of 2013, NASA tested a rocket injector made with an SLM printer and found that it could generate 20,000 pounds of thrust. In 2015, the FAA approved the 3D printing of the first engine part for a commercial aeroplane. CFM International’s LEAP engine makes use of 19 3D-printed fuel nozzles. Structures for the Boeing 787 made from titanium wire were on display at the 2017 Paris Air Show, as reported by Aviation Week.
Automotive
In fact, CNN reports that McLaren is using 3D printing in their Formula One cars. The time needed to replace the rear wing was reduced from five weeks to about ten. The group has created over fifty unique items using additive manufacturing. As more and more auto parts become available for mass production, rapid prototyping has become increasingly popular in the industry. Polymers for bumpers and other automotive parts, and aluminium alloys for exhaust pipes and pump components.
Healthcare
New York University School of Medicine researchers plan to test the efficacy of patient-specific, multi-colored kidney cancer models made with additive manufacturing on 300 patients. To what extent these models can guide surgical planning and inform real-time decision-making is the subject of the research to be conducted.
Stryker is funding a study in Australia that will use 3D printing and additive manufacturing to create custom surgical implants for people with bone cancer.
Applications of AM in healthcare are expanding as the reliability and effectiveness of medical devices constructed using AM are demonstrated. The development of custom synthetic organs holds similar promise.
Product Development
Because of the AM’s potential for design flexibility, previously impossible design ideas are being successfully re-imagined. Thanks to the freedom afforded by additive manufacturing, designers are free to explore their full range of creative possibilities.
Numerous other techniques, such as direct digital manufacturing and rapid prototyping, fall under the umbrella of additive manufacturing alongside 3D printing and rapid prototyping (DDM). The rapid development of this technology has led to its widespread adoption, and it offers promising prospects for expansion.
Conclusion
When it comes to manufacturing, additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to be a game-changer because of the digital efficiency and versatility it offers. Modifying an existing design by incorporating new components results in an entirely new item. All forms of AM require the same basic resources: specialised equipment, a pile of raw materials, and computer-aided design (CAD) software. By layering resin to create a three-dimensional object, AM allows designers to bring their digital blueprints to life. Additive manufacturing describes the process, which is now commonly associated with 3D printing due to its meteoric rise in popularity.
Additive manufacturing (AM) is a technique that can be used in conjunction with conventional subtractive manufacturing (such as drilling) to reimagine conventional production methods and give consumers and professionals more control over product design, customization, and repair. By starting with a flat surface and building up successive layers, such as in 3D printing, it is possible to create complex three-dimensional forms. It’s also used to make bespoke items for both the general public and the business sector. Using computer-aided design (CAD) software, additive manufacturing methods construct intricate three-dimensional objects layer by layer. Base layers can be made from a wide variety of materials, including metal powder, thermoplastics, ceramics, composites, glass, and even edibles like chocolate.
In order to print a three-dimensional object, computer-aided design (CAD) software “slices” the object into incredibly thin layers, and then each layer is precisely deposited on top of the one below it. Binder jetting, material extrusion, directed energy deposition, powder bed fusion, sheet lamination, and ultrasonic additive manufacturing are just a few of the many processes that can be used, each with its own set of prerequisites. Through the process of additive manufacturing, parts are added to an object rather than taken away. Sintering, wire arc, and photopolymerization are the three main categories of this robotically performed process. In selective laser sintering, a laser is used to fuse together certain thermoplastic powders, while in sintering, the material is heated without melting in order to create complex, high-resolution shapes.
Arc deposition is used to create three-dimensional shapes with wire arc AM, which makes use of welding arcs and manipulators. By shining an ultraviolet laser into a vat of photopolymer resin, high-temperature, torque-resistant ceramic components can be made for use in stereolithography. Rapid design iteration is made possible by additive manufacturing’s (AM) process-oriented technology. Three common AM techniques are fused deposition modelling (FDM), in which thermoplastic materials are injected one layer at a time using indexing nozzles, SLALaser curing of photopolymer resin in multiple layers, and MJM, in which homopolymer material is applied one layer at a time using hundreds of tiny jets. The increased flexibility and decreased costs associated with AM lead to the dismissal of novel ideas as being impossible to produce.
Additive manufacturing (AM) involves fusing tiny pieces of a material like plastic, metal, ceramic, or glass using a highly concentrated laser. It’s the only one of its kind, and it’s used for everything from kitchen gadgets to jet engine components. The SLM printer rocket injector was tested by NASA in August 2013 and found to produce 20,000 pounds of thrust. A commercial airplane’s first 3D-printed engine component was given the green light by the FAA in 2015. There has been a rise in the use of 3D printing across many industries, including the automotive sector, the medical field, and the manufacturing sector, all of which benefit from the increased freedom of expression it provides to designers.
Researchers at the NYU School of Medicine intend to use patient-specific, multicoloured kidney cancer models created via additive manufacturing to test their hypotheses. Research into developing individualised surgical implants for people with bone cancer is being funded by Stryker in Australia.
Content Summary
- Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to improve manufacturing processes thanks to the digital efficiency and adaptability it offers.
- Many people think of additive manufacturing (AM) as a complementary technique to conventional subtractive manufacturing (like drilling) (like forging).
- Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to redefine traditional production methods while also giving consumers and professionals greater agency in product design, customization, and repair.
- With the help of CAD programmes, “additive manufacturing” techniques can construct complex three-dimensional objects layer by layer.
- Look no further than additive manufacturing if you want a radical departure from subtractive methods.
- As opposed to holding endless rounds of meetings with engineers, the additive manufacturing process allows for rapid iteration of designs.
- In some cases, a full model can be made in a single day using rapid prototyping methods.
- The model’s framework is made of loose powder.
- This process is repeated as many times as necessary to finish the model or structure.
- In place of the support material used in selective laser sintering (SLA), unsintered material is employed.
- Additive manufacturing applicationsIncredibly varied products, from kitchen innovations to parts for jet engines, have been made using additive manufacturing.
- CFM International’s LEAP engine makes use of 19 3D-printed fuel nozzles.
- Structures for the Boeing 787 made from titanium wire were on display at the 2017 Paris Air Show, as reported by Aviation Week.
- AutomotiveIn fact, CNN reports that McLaren is using 3D printing in their Formula One cars.
- As more and more auto parts become available for mass production, rapid prototyping has become increasingly popular in the industry.
- Stryker is funding a study in Australia that will use 3D printing and additive manufacturing to create custom surgical implants for people with bone cancer.
FAQs About Metal
What Is Additive Manufacturing Also Called As?
Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a process in which a three-dimensional object is built from a computer-aided design (CAD) model, usually by successively adding materials in a layer-by-layer fashion.
Hat Plays an Key Role in Additive Manufacturing?
The most popular are undoubtedly plastics, which are compatible with several processes such as FDM, stereolithography or laser sintering: they use thermoplastic filaments, liquid resins and a polymer powders respectively. Other materials, such as metal (used in laser powder bed fusion) or ceramics, are also widespread.
Why You Need an Additive Manufacturing?
Implemented properly, additive manufacturing can significantly reduce material waste, reduce the amount of production steps, inventory being held, and reduce the amount of distinct parts needed for an assembly.
Where did additive manufacturing come from?
Abstract. History of additive manufacturing started in the 1980s in Japan. Stereolithography was invented first in 1983. After that tens of other techniques were invented under the common name 3D printing.
Which Is the First Step in Additive Manufacturing Processes?
Producing a digital model is the first step in the additive manufacturing process. The most common method for producing a digital model is by using computer-aided design (CAD).
