Metal Additive Manufacturing: an introduction
Metal Additive Manufacturing, also known as metal 3D printing, offers the possibility to produce complex parts without many of the constraints of traditional manufacturing processes
Additive Manufacturing is defined as “the process of joining materials to make parts from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing and formative manufacturing methodologies” (ISO/ASTM 52900:2021).
The Additive Manufacturing process is ‘additive’ in nature, with layers being successively added to build a part, as opposed to ‘subtractive’ technologies, where material is removed or shaped by machining, milling or forming. Importantly, in Additive Manufacturing, the part geometry is always digitally defined and based on digital 3D model data from a computer-aided design (CAD) program.
Additive Manufacturing technology offers many advantages over more traditional manufacturing technologies. The ability to selectively deposit materials only where they are needed means that parts can be much more complex in design, and lighter weight, which can dramatically improve performance. The process is toolless, and so ideally suited for one-off or personalised products, unlike processes such as casting and injection molding that require significant up-front investment in tooling, with little ability to iterate product designs or provide any product differentiation.
A guide to metal Additive Manufacturing
The following guide to metal 3D Printing will introduce you to the history of metal AM, list the main types of metal Additive Manufacturing process, discuss some of the main applications for metal 3D printing technology, and outline the current state of the metal 3D printing industry.
Follow the links below to learn more:
- What is Additive Manufacturing?
- What are the main Additive Manufacturing processes?
- What are the main types of metal Additive Manufacturing material?
- What secondary finishing and post-processing is needed in metal Additive Manufacturing?
- Properties and standards for metal Additively Manufactured parts
- Applications for metal Additive Manufacturing technology
- Design advantages of metal Additive Manufacturing
- Growth areas and market potential for metal Additive Manufacturing
- Summary and outlook on the metal Additive Manufacturing industry
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