Additive Manufacturing
Challenges with conventional manufacturing
Rapid Prototyping
Layer wise manufacturing
• Steps
• Preprocessing
• Computer Aided Design
• Convert CAD to Computer Aided Manufacturing
• Application of Bases and supports
• Fabrication
• Post processing
• Removal of base & support
• Claning
• Sintering
CAD to CAM
• CAD model
• Slicing of model and generation of linear tool path
• Control of thickness & step size
Coordinates and Voxel Geometry
Voxel geometry is a useful concept in understanding
the
scanning-types of layerwise deposition.
Dimensional precision
Factors affecting dimensional accuracy
• Part geometry,
• Build rate,
• Preprocessing,
• Postprocessing,
• Type of material, and even ambient temperature and humidity can
combine to affect the dimensional accuracy
Hatching or rastoring.
When layers are produced by
scanning techniques, it is
common for the initial scans to
trace the perimeter of the
particular cross section,
followed a filling in of the cross
sectional area, a process known
as hatching.
Built in Time
Classification based on Material deposition
1. Liquid-based processes: using Liquid material
2. Powder-based processes: using material in powder form (powder
bed)
3. Deposition-based processes: Material is in powder form (including
powder feed)
Liquid-based processes:
1. Stereolithography (SLA)
2. Inkjet Deposition (ID) or Droplet Deposition Manufacturing (DDM)
Stereolithography (SLA)
• This process utilizes liquid polymers to built product/components.
• There are some liquid known as photo polymer (Photocurable polymer)
quickly harden under UV light. Laser is one of the source of UV light.
• In this process, photo polymer liquid layer is placed on a plat form (as
shown in fig). The UV light passed over the area require to harden. After
hardening of the first layer. The cleaning of unbonded particle can be done
by a mechanical wiper
• The plat form is lower down so that next layer of liquid deposits over the
first layer. The UV light harden the layer and formed a bond with previously
deposited layer.
• The UV layer cured layer by layer to produce components.
• The plat form/ laser source have capability to move in three dimensional
space.
• The plat form has capability of move 3 Dimensional space.
• After the production the product is cleaned and support structure ne
to remove.
• Curing of the parts may be required in UV rays to develop strength.
[Link]
[Link]
Applications
• Pattern for investment casting.
• Attached to the CT scan and MRI machines to create 3D parts of body
parts for medical examination propose.
• Hydroxyapatite can be processed into biocompatible bone
replacement.
• Ceramic particles (Alumina, Zirconia, Aluminium Nitride etc.) can be
loaded with the resin to create parts.
A honeycombed pattern investment casting
Source: DeGarmo’s Materials and Processes in
Manufacturing
Advantages
• Highly precision
• Fast production
• Product do not require post processing
Limitation:
• The polymer is usually not bio compactible.
• Parts became Brittle with time.
• High time taking for production of parts (hours to days)
Inkjet Deposition (ID) or Droplet Deposition
Manufacturing (DDM)
• In the process, the individual layers are developed by depositing the
molten material (Wax, low melting point materials or thermoplastic.
• The layer solidified on the previously deposited layers.
• The jet head control the deposition of materials.
• [Link]
Applications
• Prototype of parts
• Complex wax pattern for investment casting.
Powder-Based Processes
a) Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
b) Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Direct Metal Laser Sintering
c) Electron-Beam Melting (EBM)
d) Three-Dimensional Printing (3DP)
e) Image Masking
Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)
[Link]
U
Process
• In this process material supply for prototyping is in powder form and
laser heat source is used to bind the powder particle together.
• The powder feed cylinder supply powder. The powder feed cylinder
deposited the powder on the part building cylinder layer by laser.
After depositing of one layer of powder in the part building cylinder
the laser light moved over the powder layer as per the design. The
laser heat source melt and join the powder particle together.
• After production of one layer, the part building platform moved low
by one layer and again fresh powder is deposited on the part building
cylinder.
Characteristics
Advantages
• Variety of material like polymer, polyester, epoxy, wax, metal and
ceramic with proper binder can be used as product material.
• Metal component may require further sintering in a separate furnace
Limitation
• Costly process
Application
• Manufacturing of the metallic components for Aerospace industries.
• Manufacturing of superior quality polymer products, metallic
products.
• Manufacturing of Ceramic Reinforced composite.
• Manufacturing of porous metal structure.
Electron-Beam Melting (EBM)
• It is a powder based deposition process.
• Elecron beam is used to supply heat for bonding of the powder
material in each layer. Further the layer are melted and joined by the
heat source.
• It is done in the vacuum.
• It is similar to the laser beam deposition.
• It is suitable for development of parts of reactive materails like Ti
alloys
Advantages and application
• Ability to make a high quality product and fully functional product.
• It can able to build materials having high melting temperature and
reactive material.
• Manufacturing of injection molding die, stamping tool, and aerospace
components, medical implant can be directly fabricated.
• It can successfully fabricated the Ti alloy impeller
Limitation
• Costly.
• Vacuum requirement
Three-Dimensional Printing (3DP)
• It is the combination of ink jet printing combined with powder
material.
• The powder is placed in a platform and viscous liquid binder sprayed
on the surface (as required) of the powder bed.
• The binder develops the bond between the applied powder layer and
rest of the non-applied location remain in the powder form.
• Infrared light is also flashed over the surface to develop bonding.
• Binder: Polymeric resin or colloidal silica
Deposited Based process
• Fused Deposition modelling
• Direct metal deposition
• Laminated-Object Manufacturing
Fused Deposition modelling (FDM)
Fig. Schematic Diagram of Fused deposition modelling
• This process utilizes polymers and wax as raw material to
manufacture prototype. The raw material is stored in filament f
• The filament wire passes through a heated Fused Deposition
Modelling (FDM) and extruded through a small orifice heated die. The
extruded polymers are placed layer by layer to get desire product. The
heating of the head and wire feed governs the deposition processes.
• The head is connected or attached to a CNC controlled robotic arm.
So that it can travelled in a predefined path.
• The layer thickness is depend on the extruder die diameter (0.5 to
0.25 mm)
Limitation:
• Product is rough and it may need further finishing.
• Additional material for visualization of the process
• [Link]
Laminated object manufacturing
• The process uses sheets of paper with a thermally activated organic
adhesive coating on one side.
• As shown in Figure (slide 43), the process begins by delivering a sheet
of paper onto the working surface either by roller or some other
means.
• Next, a heated roller is passed over the surface to bond the paper
sheet to the layer below it. Once bonded, a laser or cutter is guided to
cut the perimeter of that particular cross-section, cutting only the
uppermost layer.
• The build platform descends, and these steps are repeated.
Advantages
• Very detail
• Easy to do further processing
Reference material
• [Link]
• [Link]