Benefits of additive manufacturing and recent challenges

Benefits of additive manufacturing and recent challenges

Recently, McKinsey released a paper on the mainstreaming of additive manufacturing development, "The mainstreaming of additive manufacturing," discussing how additive manufacturing has transcended from a niche technology after 40 years of development.

The International Journal of Additive-Manufactured Structures (IJAMS, ISSN 2789-5017) is dedicated to providing an online academic communication platform for researchers and readers in the field of additive manufacturing, and we are here to introduce you to information about additive manufacturing.

Advantages

First, additive manufacturing generates virtually any 3D shape, a capability that gives designers the freedom to create parts that perform better or cost less than traditional alternatives.

Second, without the need for molds or fixed tooling, each part produced by a single 3D printing machine can be unique, paving the way for mass customization.

Third, eliminating time-consuming tooling accelerates product development and production, thereby reducing time to market.

Finally, AM-Additive Manufacturing can simplify maintenance and support of products in the field, reducing the need for spare parts inventory by enabling digital documentation of on-demand production items.

Current difficulties

However, while some companies have ventured into direct manufacturing of final products using additive manufacturing, large-scale application of additive manufacturing is still limited.

Hardware: The low speed and limited build volume of most additive manufacturing machines limit the range of possible applications. Inefficiencies and size limitations make it difficult to integrate into production workflows.

Software: Additive manufacturing equipment often relies on vendor-specific control software, with limited integration between different machines or with equipment and production control systems used in the broader factory.

Materials: Even common materials are much more expensive when provided in the form of AM additive manufacturing equipment processing, especially plastics.

Overcoming Technology Bottlenecks

Rapid innovation is driving significant improvements in the performance of additive manufacturing technologies, and the latest generation of 3D printing is overcoming many of the perceived limitations of its predecessor devices, such as allowing the production of dangling parts without the need for complex 3D printed support structures, or creating stronger parts by using magnetic fields to control the alignment of fiber reinforcements.

On the other hand, improvements in software and post-processing technologies are further streamlining the end-to-end process from concept to finished component. 3D printing-additive manufacturing technologies are well matched to create-to-order design, which uses artificial intelligence techniques to define and optimize part geometry.

In short, 3D printing-additive manufacturing is on the cusp of stardom, and it is a technology that should not be underestimated. As technical barriers come down, it is incumbent upon 3D printing device manufacturers to improve their understanding of these rapidly evolving technologies and build the skills, processes, and business models needed to make additive manufacturing shine in the industrial world. Finally, Innovation Forever Publishing is calling for articles, so if you are looking for an organization to publish your paper on additive manufacturing topics, please contact us. Send us your questions to editorial.office@innovationforever.com , and our experts will respond to you shortly.