Additive manufacturing as a strategic tool for industrial competition

Abstract

Abstract-Additive Manufacturing (AM), often misleadingly referred to as 3D Printing (3DP), comprises of a group of technologies whose initial inception occurred over thirty years ago within the product design and development applications for the rapid prototyping of concepts, primarily using polymeric materials. Over the past few years AM development has increased exponentially and 3D Printing has expanded to include new areas of research such as 4D Printing, Nano AM, Contour Crafting and so on. However, a proper understanding of the technology's actual and potential benefits to industrial manufacturing has not been approached by practitioners and researchers in detail and industrial end-users risk missing the opportunity to make competitive choices due to the lack of an impartial and realistic overview. Real and tangible industrial benefits are often misunderstood due to the dissemination of information delivered with a mindset grown on a maker-side market, which misses to scope for AM in industrial applications. The aim of the paper is presenting a detailed overview of AM applications in the industrial world, focusing on the likely impacts on organizations and, moreover, to highlight and discuss the potential employments of the technology within the industrial value chain.

3D printing of functional anatomical insoles

“…; b) Material complexity: as illustrated in section 2.3, it is possible to use material combinations to provide the product with new properties; c) Hierarchical complexity: multi-scale hierarchical structures can be designed and fabricated from the microstructure (size in the millimetre range) to macrostructure; d) Functional complexity: different geometries can be embedded in an object in such a way that the resulting product features new or different functionalities. These benefits can help AM notably increase industrial competitiveness in that it ensures quick responsiveness to changing market needs and growing consumer demands for product customisation [21]. The advantages of AM lead to the reconsideration of the DFM (Design For Manufacturing) paradigm, where design is conditional, on the one hand, on limitations when it comes to manufacturing the object, and, on the other hand, on manufacturing parameters.…”

Direct Metal Laser Sintering of Precious Metals for Jewelry Applications: Process Parameter Selection and Microstructure Analysis

“…Rapid prototyping is a critical demand in most industries, and additive manufacturing can effectively fulfill this requirement [2]. Parts can be produced just in a single step enabling mass customization at an accelerated rate and reduced weight compared to the traditional manufacturing process [3], [4]. The targeted product is designed using CAD software and built layer by layer based on the data provided by the STL format, which forms the surface of the model using triangular facets [5].…”

Strength and Deformation Analyses of Selected Filaments for Large-Format Additive Manufacturing Applicable to the Production of Firefighting Water Tanks

“…Due to low production speeds, design, and space limitations, in most cases, additive manufacturing is focused on the production of smaller parts and products [26]. In [27][28][29][30], the authors state that one of the key aspects of the introduction of large-volume AM technologies was the increase in the construction chamber, the volume of printing, and its speed. Here, it should be noted that with new LFAM technologies also come new rules and guidelines for their optimal use.…”