Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing machines—known as 3D printers—are made up of many small and intricate parts. For this reason, it’s imperative that regular, specialized maintenance and performance testing are undertaken to ensure accurate prints. Raw materials used in additive manufacturing often require delicate handling and are known to have a shorter shelf life compared to other manufacturing materials. While it is true that some 3D printing processes include the option to recycle excess build material, it’s important to keep in mind that repeated use of recycled material can compromise the properties of the material if it’s not replenished frequently enough with new material. One of the biggest advantages of 3D printing is that most additive manufacturing machines do not require monitoring once the print process has started. The reason for this is that the 3D printer is controlled by a pre-programmed, automated process. In fact, one of the few ways that the additive manufacturing process can be interrupted is if the 3D printer has an insufficient amount of material. For many additive methods, you can simply remove the printed component from the build platform. For other additive methods that are more industrial in nature, removing the print can involve a high degree of skill and precision as the print may still be attached to the build plate or encased in build material. For these additive methods, more complex removal procedures run by manual human operators are required, as well as a closely controlled environment and special safety precaution. After the printed part is removed from the build unit, a variety of post-processing methods can be employed. For example, SLA additive manufacturing cures printed parts under UV light and SLS metal parts may need to be heat-treated in an oven. Moreover, some additive manufacturing methods use supports, which will need to be carefully removed during post-processing. Additionally, many additive materials can be sanded, tumbled, or polished during post-processing.

Additive manufacturing is a process that builds parts and products by adding material rather than by taking away from it as in CNC machining. One of the most common forms of additive manufacturing is 3D printing. The additive manufacturing process utilizes computer-controlled machinery and CAD model. This machinery follows the programming of the CAD software to produce the intended part or product design by adding material.

Additive manufacturing is widely used in:

• Aerospace & Defense – Lightweight, high-strength components.
• Medical & Healthcare – Custom implants, prosthetics, and dental solutions.
• Automotive – Rapid prototyping and lightweight parts.
• Consumer Goods – Custom and on-demand production.

3D printing is a subset of additive manufacturing that builds parts layer by layer. Additive manufacturing, however, encompasses a wider range of techniques, including selective laser melting (SLM), electron beam melting (EBM), and direct energy deposition (DED), some of which don't rely on layering.

There are seven main types of additive manufacturing:

1. Vat Photopolymerization – Uses UV light to cure liquid resin (e.g., SLA, DLP).
2. Material Jetting – Deposits material like an inkjet printer, offering high accuracy.
3. Binder Jetting – Binds powder materials with a liquid agent.
4. Material Extrusion – Uses melted plastic filaments (e.g., FDM, FFF).
5. Powder Bed Fusion – Uses a laser or electron beam to fuse powder (e.g., SLS, SLM, EBM).
6. Sheet Lamination – Bonds layers of material together.
7. Directed Energy Deposition (DED) – Melts metal powder or wire as it's deposited.