Benefits of additive manufacturing

Power of additive manufacturing. Photo courtesy of Renishaw

Manufacturers looking to shorten supply chains, eliminate shipping costs and reduce lead times can benefit from additive manufacturing (AM). AM is an appropriate name to describe the technologies that build 3D objects by adding layer-upon-layer of material, whether the material is metal, plastic, metal concrete. It melts material rather than removing material, as is the case with conventional machining.

Each  layer  is  melted  to  the  exact geometry defined by a 3D CAD model. Additive Manufacturing allows for building parts  with  very  complex  geometries without any sort of tools or fixtures, and without producing any waste material. Just like the advent of CNC machining, CAD/CAM, co-ordinate measuring machines and lasers, metal-based Additive Manufacturing will transform part production, but we are only at the start of this exciting journey. At the core of metal-based

Additive Manufacturing is the use of focused laser energy to fuse fine metallic powders to form highly complex functional components  that  go  way  beyond  the designs of today.

In comparison to other technological advances, lasers are something of a quiet revolution, spanning the last 50 years, but their influence on fields as diverse as bio-medical, surface analysis, electronics, ship building, molecular diagnostics, precision measurement and a multitude of others is immeasurable. Yet, just like Additive Manufacturing, in their early years, lasers were something of a solution in search of an application - not unusual in disruptive technologies.

Hence, choosing an AM technology for production provides great benefits for  the  entire  production  value  chain. The geometrical freedom allows you to engineer/design your part as you envision it, without manufacturing constraints. This can be translated to extreme light-weight designs, reduced part counts or improved bone in growth for a medical implant. It is also a fast production route from CAD to physical part with a very high material utilisation and without the need to keep expensive castings or forgings on stock.

In  addition  to  its  cost-efficiency additive  manufacturing  is,  due  to  its high material utilisation, a very energy-efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturing route.

Additive manufacturing potential

In  the  world  of  manufacturing technology, we occasionally experience breakthroughs that have the potential to transform the industry, enabling existing products to be made faster, cheaper and better, and opening up a world of new product possibilities.

Just like the advent of CNC machining, CAD/CAM,  co-ordinate  measuring machines and lasers, metal-based additive manufacturing  will  transform  part production, but we are only at the start of this exciting journey.

At the core of metal-based additive manufacturing is the use of focused laser energy  to  fuse  fine  metallic  powders to  form  highly  complex  functional components  that  go  way  beyond  the designs of today.

In comparison to other technological advances, lasers are something of a quiet revolution, spanning the last 50 years, but their influence on fields as diverse as bio-medical, surface analysis, electronics, ship building, molecular diagnostics, precision measurement and a multitude of others is immeaBrowse All Brands