Additive manufacturing is a process of creating parts by adding layers, such as 3D printing. It creates complex shapes without excess material and is cost-effective. It allows for personalized items and fluid designs. A famous example is a hybrid car made with additive manufacturing that is gas efficient and environmentally friendly.
Additive manufacturing, sometimes abbreviated to AM, is a process of manufacturing parts through successive additions of layers, which is the opposite of traditional subtractive manufacturing, where parts and pieces are removed during the construction of a product. There are several ways the additive manufacturing process is done, and one increasingly popular method is 3D printing. Another method includes fusing successive layers of materials to create a product. The main benefit of additive manufacturing is that it can create geometrically complex shapes without wasting excess material. Another benefit of the process is that it doesn’t require many tools and is a very cost-effective manufacturing process.
This type of production is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. The materials used, especially in 3D printing, end up creating lightweight designs of certain end products. Using additive manufacturing, there is a reduction in physical tools and a greater emphasis on spatial design programs that allow engineers greater freedom in ideas to design and create certain products without the constraints of traditional machining. There is also the benefit of a reduction of separate parts of a whole product. The technique can even go as far as personalizing certain items for individuals, such as medical devices or clothing.
In additive manufacturing, a computer program is used to create a 3D model of an item and then separate the image into thin layers. Models can be based on previous items or products that have actually been physically sliced to examine the inner workings and finer details. This process allows the computer program to replicate those details and even manipulate them to improve them. By manipulating the details, this additive manufacturing technique allows for the creation of fluid items, synchronized parts, and better functioning. Its affordability also makes this type of manufacturing beneficial for prototyping certain items.
One of the most famous examples of a 3D printed product is a light-duty, hybrid car made in the United States in 2010 with the collaboration of several manufacturing and engineering groups. The bodywork of the small car, as well as the windows and panels that are part of it, were all made using additive manufacturing. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) was used as a printing method by the company that manufactured it. Its lightweight design makes the car gas efficient and it was designed with the environment in mind. As an example of how fuel efficient the small car is, it costs just two cents for every mile driven.
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