What Is Additive Manufacturing

The increase in demand for more manufactured products has inspired the invention of many technologies. One example is Additive Manufacturing (AM).

AM, since its invention, has focused on doing one thing; speeding up the production of necessary objects and material.

By definition, AM is a computer-controlled technology that uses designs from computer-aided design (CAD) software or a 3D printer to input information that directs a machine to build a three-dimensional object. 

It uses materials such as thermoplastics, ceramics, metals or even biochemical melting them, then creating a layer by layer deposit until a precise geometric shaped object is produced. 

How Additive Manufacturing Works

First, the object to be created is defined digitally and fed into the system through software such as a computer-aided design (CAD) or a 3D printer and saved in a .stl file format.

The information then directs the nozzle or print head of the machine as it begins to melt the material to be used.

Next, the melted material is deposited layer by layer while the nozzle head guides the object to be created. Each successive layer bonds to the preceding layer in a very specific manner. This continues as the object takes shape.

After this, the new object is cooled or cured solidifying into a proper three-dimensional product.

Additive Manufacturing Technologies

There are 3 common technologies applied in AM, namely:

• Sintering

Using this technology, the object is partially melted before being used to form the layers. The material is melted but not liquefied completely. There are, essentially two types of sintering; direct metal laser sintering which uses metal powder as its material and selective laser sintering which specializes in using thermoplastic powder.

• Direct Metal Laser Melting (DMLM) + Electron Beam Melting (EBM)

Both technologies involve complete melting of the raw material and while DMLM uses a laser, EBM uses high-powered electron beams. They both, however, work by completely liquefying the material and are perfect for producing non-porous and very dense objects.

• Stereolithography (SLA)

SLA works with photopolymerization by lighting a slice of photopolymer resin with Ultraviolet lasers. It is ideal for making ceramic objects that are torque-resistant and can withstand extreme heat or temperature. 

Advantages of Additive Manufacturing

The AM technologies have witnessed wide acceptance and application due to their many advantages. These advantages include:

• It guarantees a fast, easy, and cost-effective production of precise parts and objects
• It supports and even encourages quicker product development and prototyping offering a competitive advantage at the end
• It reduces the cost of producing, transporting, and storing aerospace materials by introducing the concept of production on demand
• It does not require so much space both to build a factory or keep equipment and materials
• It can utilize material waste thereby doing mankind and the environment a huge favor
• It produces parts that can be easily diagnosed when faulty and even improved upon
• Additive Manufacturing uses AI-driven designs which is important to spur better innovations

Conclusion

Known in different quarters by different names; rapid prototyping or 3D printing. Regardless, Additive Manufacturing is here to stay with all of its applications and competitive advantages.