ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING waste, energy consumption and transportation emissions, while also enabling the production of lightweight and complex parts that would be difficult or impossible to produce using traditional manufacturing methods. Metal AM technologies play an important role in improving the sustainability of a range of industries including the production of lightweight parts in aerospace, automotive and medical industries,” commented Cranfield University.
AM-manufactured part for AUDI.
AM process categories
Although some media sources like to use the term“ 3D printing” as a synonym for all Additive Manufacturing( AM) processes, there are lots of individual processes which vary in their method of layer manufacturing. Individual processes will differ depending upon the material and machine technology employed.
There are several additive manufacturing technologies used in the market. These include stereolithography; fuse deposition modelling( FDM); direct metal laser sintering( DMLS); selective laser sintering( SLS); inkjet printing; polyjet printing; laser metal deposition and electron beam melting( EBM); digital light processing( DLP); laminated object manufacturing and others.
The American Society for Testing and Materials( ASTM) group“ ASTM F42 – Additive Manufacturing” has formulated a set of standards that classify the range of Additive Manufacturing processes into seven distinct categories. These are listed below.
1. Vat Polymerisation: This process uses a vat of liquid photopolymer resin, out of which the model is constructed layer by layer.
2. Material Jetting: This process creates objects in a similar method to a twodimensional inkjet printer. Material is jetted onto a build platform using either a continuous or Drop on Demand( DOD) approach.
3. Binder Jetting Process: This uses two materials; a powder based material and a binder. The binder is usually in liquid form and the build material in powder form. A print head moves horizontally along the x and y axes of the machine and deposits alternating layers of the build material and the binding material.
4. Material Extrusion: Fuse deposition modelling( FDM) is a common material extrusion process. Material is drawn through a nozzle, where it is heated and then deposited layer by layer. The nozzle can move horizontally and a platform moves up and down vertically after each new layer is deposited.
5. Powder Bed Fusion: This process includes the following commonly used printing techniques: Direct metal laser sintering( DMLS); electron beam melting( EBM); selective heat sintering( SHS); selective laser melting( SLM) and selective laser sintering( SLS).
6. Sheet Lamination: These processes include ultrasonic additive manufacturing( UAM) and laminated object manufacturing( LOM). The Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing process uses sheets or ribbons of metal, which are bound together using ultrasonic welding.
7. Directed Energy Deposition( DED): This covers a range of terminology such as laser engineered net shaping; directed light fabrication; direct metal deposition; 3D laser cladding etc. It is a more complex printing process commonly used to repair or add additional material to existing components.
The market in focus
“ The additive manufacturing market is witnessing significant growth, driven by advancements in technology and increasing
Image: BWM.
AM-manufactured components. adoption across various industries. Key developments include the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance production efficiency and reduce material waste. In addition, the introduction of new materials, such as advanced polymers and metal alloys, has expanded the application range of additive manufacturing in sectors such as aerospace, healthcare and automotive,” commented market analyst, Data Bridge Research, in a recent report on the technology.
“ Furthermore, the growing trend towards customised products, driven by consumer demand for personalisation, is propelling the market forward. Governments are also investing in additive manufacturing technologies to boost local manufacturing capabilities and reduce dependency on global supply chains. As these developments continue to unfold, the additive manufacturing market is set to revolutionize traditional manufacturing processes, offering innovative solutions and enhancing production capabilities across industries,” it continued.
Data Bridge Research valued the global additive manufacturing market size at US $ 75.97 billion in 2023 and projected it to reach US $ 111.05 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 20.90 % during the forecast period of 2024 to 2031.
“ The development of advanced metal powders and printing techniques, such as Direct Energy Deposition( DED) and Powder Bed Fusion( PBF), is enhancing the capabilities of additive manufacturing. This trend is driving innovation in product design and allowing for more sustainable manufacturing practices, as the precision of additive processes minimizes material waste. As the technology continues to mature, the adoption of metal 3D printing is expected to expand, reshaping the future of manufacturing across various industries,” added the analyst.
In January this year, market analyst
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