Additive Manufacturing: Why the ‘concept to component’ approach is key for successful implementation
Additive manufacturing (AM) empowers innovative design with unprecedented benefits. With this rapidly advancing technology, it is crucial to integrate process disciplines and expertise to ensure an optimized product that achieves the desired quality and functionality while avoiding costly mistakes. In order to fully capitalize on AM’s potential, choose a provider that can link the full AM production chain together under one roof.
AM can offer tremendous opportunities for innovative design and productivity benefits. However, new technologies and innovations can also pose risks to those attempting to implement them. This article explores the major benefits and the inherent risks involved with this evolving value chain and suggests some best practices to help mitigate those risks.
Introduction: What is Additive Manufacturing?
Additive manufacturing (AM) is the process of manufacturing objects from Computer Aided Design (CAD) model data, usually layer upon layer, as opposed to using methods of subtractive manufacturing (removing material until the desired shape is reached) or formative manufacturing (applying mechanical forces and/or heat through processes such as bending, casting, and molding).