Additive Manufacturing in Industry
Definition
Additive Manufacturing
Additive manufacturing involves techniques that build objects by adding material layer by layer.
Key Additive Manufacturing Techniques
- Powder Bed Fusion (PBF)
- Material Extrusion
- Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
Powder Bed Fusion (PBF)
Definition
Powder Based Fusion (PBF)
It is an additive manufacturing technique that uses directed thermal energy to fuse layers of powdered material, forming a 3D object.
- Process: A laser or electron beam selectively melts powder in a thin layer.
- Materials: Metal or polymer powders (e.g. titanium, nylon)
- Applications: Aerospace brackets, implants, high-strength parts
- Example methods: Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Electron Beam Melting (EBM)
PBF allows for the creation of intricate geometries and internal structures that are difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional methods.
Material Extrusion
Definition
Material Extrusion
The process of forming a material by forcing it through a die, resulting in objects with a fixed cross-section
- In the context of 3D printing, material extrusion refers to Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) or Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF).
- A 3D printing process where a thermoplastic filament is heated and extruded through a nozzle to build up parts layer by layer.
- Process: Thermoplastic filament is heated and extruded through a nozzle to build objects layer by layer.
- Materials: PLA, ABS, PETG
- Applications: Rapid tooling, jigs, low-strength consumer parts
- Strengths: Cheap, simple, accessible
