ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

UNIT- I

INTRODUCTION

Mr. KOLUSU. VENKATESH,

M.Tech, (Ph.D)
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Geethanjali College of Engineering & Technology
 UNIT-I
INTRODUCTION
What is a Rapid Prototyping?
“A prototype is the first or original example of something that has been or will be
copied or developed; it is a model or preliminary version”, e.g.: A prototype
supersonic aircraft.

“A technology that produces models and prototype parts from 3D CAD model data,
CT and MRI scan data, and model data created from 3D object digitizing systems”
- Terry Wohler's
“Direct fabrication of parts, components, or models from 3D CAD drawings
WITHOUT part-specific tooling or human intervention”
- Joe Beaman
 Roles of the Prototypes

The roles that prototypes play in the product development

process are several. They include the following:
(1) Experimentation and learning
(2) Testing and proofing
(3) Communication and interaction
(4) Synthesis and integration
(5) Scheduling and markers
 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
• It is a process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model CAD data,
usually layer upon layer as opposed to subtractive manufacturing
methodologies.
 ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

“Additive Manufacturing” (AM) is a layer-based automated fabrication process for

making scaled 3-dimensional physical objects directly from 3D-CAD data without
using part-depending tools.

It was originally called “3D Printing” and is still frequently called that.

When the first approaches to “Additive Manufacturing” entered the market in 1987,
it was called “Rapid Prototyping” or “Generative Manufacturing”.

Both terms are still in use and in the past years many different names have been
presented and frequently more are added.
Other names of AM
 Need for AM

No wastage of material in the form of chips.

Lesser processing time.
Any complicated designs can be easily produced.
High dimensional accuracy.
Produces more or equivalently efficient components in terms of mechanical
properties when compared to other conventional machining or
manufacturing techniques.
 To increase quality, productivity, global competition
Customization of products.
 Reduce cost and manufacturing time.
Recycling can also be achieved.
 Development of AM systems

• Year of Inception Technology

• 1770 Mechanization
• 1946 First Computer
• 1952 First Numerical Control (NC) Machine Tool
• 1960 First commercial Laser
• 1961 First commercial Robot
• 1963 First Interactive Graphics System
• (early version of Computer-Aided Design)
• 1988 First commercial Rapid Prototyping System
Fig. 2.7 The first AM technology from Hull, who founded 3D systems (photo courtesy of 3D
Systems)
PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE
 Steps involved in AM / Process Chain of AM
1 CAD
2 STL convert
3 File transfer to machine
4 Machine setup
5 Build
6 Remove
7 Post-process
8 Application
 Steps involved in AM / Process Chain of AM
• Step 1: CAD
All AM parts must start from a software model that fully describes the external geometry. This can involve
the use of almost any professional CAD solid modeling software, but the output must be a 3D solid or
surface representation. Reverse engineering equipment (e.g., laser scanning) can also be used to create this
representation.
• Step 2: Conversion to STL
Nearly every AM machine accepts the STL file format, which has become a de facto standard, and nearly
every CAD system can output such a file format. This file describes the external closed surfaces of the
original CAD model and forms the basis for calculation of the slices.
• Step 3: Transfer to AM Machine and STL File Manipulation
The STL file describing the part must be transferred to the AM machine. Here, there may be some general
manipulation of the file so that it is the correct size, position, and orientation for building.
• Step 4: Machine Setup
The AM machine must be properly set up prior to the build process. Such settings would relate to the build
parameters like the material constraints, energy source, layer thickness, timings, etc.
 Steps involved in AM / Process Chain of AM
• Step 5: Build
Building the part is mainly an automated process and the machine can largely carry on without supervision.
Only superficial monitoring of the machine needs to take place at this time to ensure no errors have taken place
like running out of material, power or software glitches, etc.
• Step 6: Removal
Once the AM machine has completed the build, the parts must be removed. This may require interaction with the
machine, which may have safety interlocks to ensure for example that the operating temperatures are sufficiently
low or that there are no actively moving parts.
• Step 7: Postprocessing
Once removed from the machine, parts may require an amount of additional cleaning up before they are ready
for use. Parts may be weak at this stage or they may have supporting features that must be removed. This
therefore often requires time and careful, experienced manual manipulation.
• Step 8: Application
Parts may now be ready to be used. However, they may also require additional treatment before they are
acceptable for use. For example, they may require priming and painting to give an acceptable surface texture and
finish. Treatments may be laborious and lengthy if the finishing requirements are very demanding. They may
also be required to be assembled together with other mechanical or electronic components to form a final model
or product.
Fig. 1.1 CAD image of a teacup with further images showing the effects of building using different
layer thicknesses
STL uses triangles to describe the surfaces to be built.

Fig. 2.2 A CAD model on the left converted into STL format on the right
 Impact of AM on Product Development
Computer simulation and Rapid Prototyping Technologies represent
important tasks in different areas of industrial development because of its
potential for cost and time saving
Before producing newly developed mechanical parts, the entire
manufacturing process can be visualized and improved by means of
numerical simulation techniques or in some cases by virtual simulation
technologies
Rapid Prototyping Technologies also can be used to build prototypes and
mold insert or small series very quickly and cost efficiently
This way offers to small and medium size companies enormous potential
for improving the time to develop and market their products and for
increasing their competitiveness
Impact of AM on Product Development
 Impact of AM on Product Development
Rapid Product Development is a manufacture culture, which promotes the
new products development, from design to manufacture, in the shortest
timescales possible.
This culture uses new technologies to promote the time decreasing, including
the utilization of 3 D CAD/CAM, Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Tooling and the
use of new Management Techniques, which restructure the manufacturing
process.
The utilization of Rapid Product Development allows companies to launch
new products into manufacture in short timescales, reducing the development
costs for new products.
 Virtual Prototyping
Simulating Reality with FEA

Finite element modelling in many ways is more like an art than a science since the
quality of the results is dependent upon the quality of the model. One of the more
common errors that a beginning finite element analyst makes in modelling is to simply
simulate the geometry rather than to simulate both the geometry and the physical
behavior of the real structure.

 Creating simulations
 Assigning Materials
 Settings constraints and loads
 Interpreting simulation results.
 Rapid Tooling
Rapid Tooling involves all AM procedures that lead to final parts used as cores, cavities, or
inserts for tools, dies and molds.

Two sub-levels must be distinguished:

 direct tooling
 prototype tooling.

Direct Tooling is technically equivalent to Direct Manufacturing but leads to tool inserts, dies
and molds in series quality.

Although tooling is based simply on the inversion of the product data set (positive to
negative) there are reasons to attribute it with a separate application sub-level.
 Rapid Tooling
Indirect (pattern-based tooling): It uses master patterns to produce a mold or die
Direct Tooling: where the additive process builds the actual molds.
As an example, mold inserts can be built with internal cooling channels that follow the
contour of the cavity beneath the surface.
Classification of AM Processes
 Classification of AM Processes
While there are many ways in which one can classify the numerous RP systems in the market, one of the better
ways is to classify RP systems broadly by the initial form of its material, i.e. the material that the prototype or
part is built with. In this manner, all RP systems can be easily categorized into
(1) liquid-based
(2) solid-based and
(3) powder-based.
Liquid-Based: Liquid-based RP systems have the initial form of its material in liquid state. Through a process
commonly known as curing, the liquid is converted into the solid state.
The following RP systems fall into this category:
(1) 3D Systems’ Stereolithography Apparatus (SLA)
(2) Cubital’s Solid Ground Curing (SGC)
(3) Sony’s Solid Creation System (SCS)
(4) CMET’s Solid Object Ultraviolet-Laser Printer (SOUP)
(5) Autostrade’s E-Darts
(6) Teijin Seiki’s Soliform System
 Classification of AM Processes
Solid-Based: Except for powder, solid-based RP systems are meant to encompass all forms of material in the
solid state. In this context, the solid form can include the shape in the form of a wire, a roll, laminates and
pellets.
The following RP systems fall into this definition:
(1) Cubic Technologies’ Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM)
(2) Stratasys’ Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
(3) Kira Corporation’s Paper Lamination Technology (PLT)
(4) 3D Systems’ Multi-Jet Modeling System (MJM)
(5) Solidscape’s ModelMaker and Pattern Master
(6) Beijing Yinhua’s Slicing Solid Manufacturing (SSM), Melted
Extrusion Modeling (MEM) and Multi-Functional RPM Systems
(M-RPM)
 Classification of AM Processes
Powder-Based: In a strict sense, powder is by-and-large in the solid state. However, it is intentionally
created as a category outside the solid-based RP systems to mean powder in grain-like form. The following
RP systems fall into this definition:
(1) 3D Systems’s Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
(2) EOS’s EOSINT Systems
(3) Z Corporation’s Three-Dimensional Printing (3DP)
(4) Optomec’s Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS)
(5) Soligen’s Direct Shell Production Casting (DSPC)
(6) Fraunhofer’s Multiphase Jet Solidification (MJS)
(7) Acram’s Electron Beam Melting (EBM)
(8) Aeromet Corporation’s Lasform Technology
Rapid Prototyping Wheel
 Rapid Prototyping Wheel
Input
Input refers to the electronic information required to describe the physical object with 3D data.
There are two possible starting points — a computer model or a physical model.
The computer model created by a CAD system can be either a surface model or a solid model.
On the other hand, 3D data from the physical model is not at all straightforward. It requires
data acquisition through a method known as reverse engineering.
In reverse engineering, a wide range of equipment can be used, such as CMM (coordinate
measuring machine) or a laser digitizer, to capture data points of the physical model and
“reconstruct” it in a CAD system.
Method
While they are currently more than 20 vendors for RP systems, the method employed by each
vendor can be generally classified into the following categories: photo-curing, cutting and
gluing/joining, melting and solidifying/fusing and joining/binding. Photo-curing can be further
divided into categories of single laser beam, double laser beams and masked lamp.
 Rapid Prototyping Wheel
Material
The initial state of material can come in either solid, liquid or powder state. In solid state, it
can come in various forms such as pellets, wire or laminates. The current range materials
include paper, nylon, wax, resins, metals and ceramics.
Applications
Most of the RP parts are finished or touched up before they are used for their intended
applications. Applications can be grouped into (1) Design (2) Engineering, Analysis, and
Planning and (3) Tooling and
Manufacturing. A wide range of industries can benefit from RP and these include, but are not
limited to, aerospace, automotive, biomedical, consumer, electrical and electronics products.
 Applications of AM

Concept Models
 If a picture is worth a thousand words then is an object worth a thousand pictures?
 Patterns
 Casting Patterns
 Form Tools
Functional Prototypes
 Parts for design
 Personalized manufacturing
Parts on demand
Limited Lot Production
 Automobile, Aeronautical, Medical and Consumer products, etc.
 Benefits of AM
Round the clock operation.
Good user support.
Build volumes.
Good accuracy.
Surface finish.
Wide range of materials.
Lesser process time.
Environmental friendly.
Recyclable.
No compromise in complicated designs.
 Advantages
Design complexity and freedom:
The advent of 3D printing has seen a proliferation of products (designed in digital environments), which involve levels of
complexity that simply could not be produced physically in any other way. While this advantage has been taken up by designers
and artists to impressive visual effect, it has also made a significant impact on industrial applications, whereby applications are
being developed to materialize complex components that are proving to be both lighter and stronger than their predecessors.
Speed:
You can create complex parts within hours , with limited human resources. Only machine operator is needed for loading the data
and the powder material, start the process and finally for the finishing. During the manufacturing process no operator is needed.
Customisation:
3D printing processes allow for mass customisation — the ability to personalize products according to individual needs and
requirements. Even within the same build chamber, the nature of 3D printing means that numerous products can be
manufactured at the same time according to the end-users requirements at no additional process cost.
Tool-less:
For industrial manufacturing, one of the most cost-, time- and labour-intensive stages of the product development process is the
production of the tools. For low to medium volume applications, industrial 3D printing — or additive manufacturing — can
eliminate the need for tool production and, therefore, the costs, lead times and labour associated with it. This is an extremely
attractive proposition, that an increasing number or manufacturers are taking advantage of. Furthermore, because of the
complexity advantages stated above, products and components can be designed specifically to avoid assembly requirements with
intricate geometry and complex features further eliminating the labour and costs associated with assembly processes.
 Advantages
Sustainable / Environmentally Friendly:
3D printing is also emerging as an energy-efficient technology that can provide
environmental efficiencies in terms of both the manufacturing process itself, utilising up to
90% of standard materials, and, therefore, creating less waste, but also throughout an
additively manufactured product’s operating life, by way of lighter and stronger design that
imposes a reduced carbon footprint compared with traditionally manufactured products.

No storage cost:
Since 3D printers can “print” products as and when needed, and does not cost more than
mass manufacturing, no expense on storage of goods is required.

Increased employment opportunities:

Widespread use of 3D printing technology will increase the demand for designers and
technicians to operate 3D printers and create blueprints for products.

Extreme Lightweight design:

AM enable weight reduction via topological optimization
 Disadvantages
Support material removal:
When production volumes are small, the removal of support material is usually not a big issue. When the volumes are much higher, it becomes
an important consideration. Support material that is physically attached is of most concern.
Considerable effort required for application design and for setting process parameters:
Complex set of around 180 material, process and other parameters and specific design required to fully profit from the technology
Material cost:
Today, the cost of most materials for additive systems ( Powder ) is slightly greater than that of those used for traditional manufacturing .

Intellectual property issues:

The ease with which replicas can be created using 3D technology raises issues over intellectual property rights. The availability of blueprints
online free of cost may change with for-profit organizations wanting to generate profits from this new technology.

Limitations of size:
3D printing technology is currently limited by size constraints. Very large objects are still not feasible when built using 3D printers.

Cost of printers:
The cost of buying a 3D printer still does not make its purchase by the average householder feasible. Also, different 3D printers are required in
order to print different types of objects. Also, printers that can manufacture in colour are costlier than those that print monochrome objects.

Unchecked production of dangerous items:

Liberator, the world’s first 3D printed functional gun, showed how easy it was to produce one’s own weapons, provided one had access to the
design and a 3D printer. Governments will need to devise ways and means to check this dangerous tendency
 AM Materials

Nylon, or Polyamide, is commonly used in powder form with the sintering process or in filament form with the
FDM process. It is a strong, flexible and durable plastic material that has proved reliable for 3D printing. It is
naturally white in colour but it can be coloured — pre- or post printing. This material can also be combined (in
powder format) with powdered aluminium to produce another common 3D printing material for sintering
Alumide.

ABS is another common plastic used for 3D printing, and is widely used on the entry-level FDM 3D printers in
filament form. It is a particularly strong plastic and comes in a wide range of colours.
ABS can be bought in filament form from a number of non- proprietary sources, which is another reason why it
is so popular.

PLA is a bio-degradable plastic material that has gained traction with 3D printing for this very reason. It can be
utilized in resin format for DLP/SL processes as well as in filament form for the FDM process. It is offered in a
variety of colours, including transparent, which has proven to be a useful option for some
some applications of 3D printing. However it is not as durable oras flexible as ABS.

Ceramics are a relatively new group of materials that can be used for 3D printing with various levels of
success. The particular thing to note with these materials is that, post printing, the ceramic parts need to
undergo the same processes as any ceramic part made using traditional methods of production - namely firing
and glazing.
 AM Materials
Lay Wood is a specially developed 3D printing material for entry- level extrusion 3D
printers. It comes in filament form and is a wood/polymer composite (also referred to as
WPC).

Metals a growing number of metals and metal composites are used for industrial grade 3D
printing. Two of the most common are aluminium and cobalt derivatives.

One of the strongest and therefore most commonly used metals for 3D printing is Stainless
Steel in powder form for the sintering/ melting/EBM processes. It is naturally silver, but can
be plated with other materials to give a gold or bronze effect.
In the last couple of years Gold and Silver have been added to the range of metal materials
that can be 3D printed directly, with obvious applications across the jewellery sector. These
are both very strong materials and are processed in powder form.
Titanium is one of the strongest possible metal materials and has been used for 3D printing
industrial applications for some time.

Supplied in powder form, it can be used for the sintering/melting/ EBM processes.