Additive Manufacturing Advantages over Conventional Manufacturing


The growing success of additive manufacturing is due to its advantages over conventional manufacturing. However, these strengths often come along with certain weaknesses. The weaknesses provide opportunities for corrective action through the development of new polymeric materials.

Strengths

Limitations

·         Elimination of design constraints

·         Allow parts to be produced with complex geometry: honeycomb structures, cooling channels, etc., and no additional costs related to complexity

·         Build speed; reduction of lead time

·         Flexibility in design

·         No expensive tooling requirements

·         Dimensional accuracy

·         Wide range of materials (polymers, metals, ceramics)

·         Well suited to the manufacture of high value replacement and repair parts

·         Green manufacturing, clean, minimal waste

·         Small footprint for manufacturing and continually shrinking equipment costs

·         Surface roughness

·         Low density, porosity

·         Lack of data regarding end-use properties to be expected of parts (e.g., thermal and chemical stability, strength, etc.)

·         Limited to relatively small parts

·         Limited to low volume manufacturing

General Strengths and Weaknesses of Additive Manufacturing Over Conventional Manufacturing