Blogs
Additive Manufacturing has revolutionized the manufacturing industry since its commercial start in the late twentieth century. Metal AM system sales are booming due to new machines with available materials and higher printing capabilities.
By 2024, the industry is estimated to generate about $4 billion in revenue. As Metal Additive Manufacturing advances, it is indeed essential to understand the benefits of the process and how its various applications are revolutionizing the manufacturing industry.
Metal Additive Manufacturing Processes
Whether it's metal, plastic, or ceramics, the Additive Manufacturing technique makes products by layering materials. Traditional methods of generating products by machining, cutting, shaping, turning, milling, and other manufacturing processes can be augmented or replaced by Additive Manufacturing.
In Additive Manufacturing, a CAD-generated 3D model is used to build a three-dimensional object by adding layers of material and combining these layers altogether. Metal AM, often known as metal 3D printing. Highly specific objects can be developed and built by layering metal powders with energy or a composite resin.
Objects that could never have been constructed merely a few years ago may now be manufactured with unprecedented strength and standards with a variety of materials due to improvements in additive manufacturing machines.
Materials used in Additive Manufacturing
Ceramics, metals, biochemicals, and thermoplastics are some of the materials used in AM.
Metals: Metals and metal alloys A wide range of metals and metal alloys, including silver and gold, stainless steel, and titanium, are incorporated in additive manufacturing. These may be used to make a wide range of metal objects, from jewellery to aerospace components.
Ceramics: Alumina, zirconia, phosphate, and tricalcium are among the ceramics used in AM, as well as powdered glass that can be fused with adhesives.
Biochemicals: Calcium phosphate, silicon, and zinc are among the biochemicals used in AM. These materials are commonly used in the healthcare industry.
Thermoplastics: Thermoplastic polymers, such as polylactic acid (PLA), water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polycarbonate (PC), are the most regularly used AM materials.
The Benefits of Additive Manufacturing
- Complex 3D geometries with internal features can be printed without any tooling.
- Different alloy variations can be used in other portions of the part.
- Without the requirement for a sketch, a part can be printed directly from a 3D model.
- Prototypes may be created faster, allowing designers to test different variations and shorten the production cycle.
- In comparison to traditional machining, less tooling is required for smaller batches. Also, there is less material wastage.
- During the printing process, several materials can be combined to form a unique alloy.
The Global Impacts of Additive Manufacturing on Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing is now changing the way products are made. The technology allows for new ways of thinking about the economic, environmental, and security aspects of the production process, with uniformly positive outcomes.
-
Additive Manufacturing can reduce existing supply chain limitations by bringing production closer to the end-user. The capacity to manufacture small production batches on demand and the customization value of Additive Manufacturing is a definite way to engage consumers while reducing or eliminating inventories and inventory stacking.
- Shipping spare parts and products from one area of the world to another could become impractical because spare parts could be 3D printed on-site. This might have a significant impact on how large and small enterprises and customers will connect worldwide in the future.
- Wider use of 3D printing would very certainly result in the re-invention of some previously produced products, as well as the creation of an even more significant number of entirely new products. A 3D printer can now construct impossible shapes and geometries.
- Additive Manufacturing has enormous potential to boost innovation and reintroduce local production.
If Additive Manufacturing technology is widely used, it would have the potential to have a global economic impact. The transition of production and distribution from the existing paradigm to a localized production model based on demand, on-site, and customized production could potentially lower the trade deficit for export and, import economies.
The world would gain the most from Additive Manufacturing since the world's population ages and shifts in age demographics have been a source of concern for industry and the workforce. In addition, the health benefits of medical 3D printing would be perfect for an older population.
Innovae3D has state-of-art Additive Manufacturing infrastructure along with an expert team. This enables us to provide innovative solutions for our customer's Additive Manufacturing requirements.