Additive technologies enable the creation of complex shapes and structures virtually unattainable using classical production processes. These technologies allow components to be produced not only from paper or plastic, but also from composite materials or metals, with the same or even better properties than their predecessors made by machining or forming technologies. However, for customers who are not specialists in these technologies it may often be difficult to orientate themselves in the wide range of options and take full advantage of the potential of these technologies. As a rule, production process parameters are not as decisive as final product characteristics, especially the price, quality and delivery date. Therefore, this article tries to answer elementary questions that customers might have when considering production using additive technology, and to describe its specifics and possibilities. Special attention is paid to metal 3D printing, whose specifics are illustrated using the example of printing a simple component in various ways, in different quantities and sizes. The article documents an experiment conducted under real conditions using DMLS (direct metal laser sintering) technology, which shows how different ways of printing affect the price, the processing time, and the quality of the final component.

Abstract. The technology HVOF -High Velocity Oxygen Fuel was used to spray the alloy Stellite 6 for the purpose of this research. This method is based on using high velocity spraying flame. The article deals with the evaluation of surface quality after machining of wear resistant hard coats. The goal of the authors was to understand the main factors that influence final surface quality at machining of the coatings from Stellite 6. The findings of experiment have confirmed that there have been obtained very important information about machining of this alloy at the specific type of workpiece. Authors have evaluated the quality of the surface not only by means of Abbott curve, but they have also observed the dependency of arithmetical mean roughness value on both cutting edge radius and feed. The analyses of cutting tips wear at changeable inserts of tools have shown that the typical wear appears in the form of a notch.

The article deals with some aspects related to the machining of surfaces that have been deposited by wear-resistant hard coats using HVOF (high velocity oxygen fuel) technology. HVOF coating is a thermal spray process used to improve a component's surface properties, thus extending equipment life by significantly increasing errosion and wear resistance, along with corrosion protection. For a purpose of this research, the chromium-cobalt alloy -Stellite 6 was used as a sprayed material. Considering that the parts made of stellites are widely used in various industries and very popular in specific applications, it is a big drawback that adequate machining processes for stellites have not yet been developed other than the costly and time-consuming technique of grinding. However, in this research, an attempt has been made to reveal the optimal machining parameters for a lower value of surface roughness for the purpose of successful machining of Stellite 6 using inserts with various radii of cutting edge. Authors have evaluated the quality of machined surface not only by means of Abbott curve, but they have also observed the dependency of arithmetical mean roughness value on both cutting-edge radius and feed. The analyses of cutting tips wear at changeable inserts have shown that typical wear appears in the form of a notch.