Additive Manufacturing & its societal impact Dror Avitan Shuki Agibayev /01/2016
Introduction Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the “process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer”. Also known as “rapid manufacturing” or “rapid prototyping”. Has become a mainstream manufacturing process after 30 years of research & development. “The third industrial revolution” (Economist).
Major AM Processes Direct Energy Deposition (LENS) Vat Photo Polymeriza tion (SLA) Powder Bed Fusion (SLS) Binder Jetting (3DP) Material Extrusion (FDM) Material Jetting (IJT) Sheet Lamination (LOM)
FDM – Fused Deposition Modeling
3DP – Powder bed & inkjet 3D Printing
LOM – Laminated Object Manufacturing
LENS –Laser Engineered Net Shaping
SLS – Selective Laser Sintering
SLA – Stereo-lithography
IJP – Inkjet Printing
AM Compared with Conventional Manufacturing DrawbacksAdvantages Size limitations Imperfections Cost Material efficiency Resource efficiency Part flexibility Production flexibility
Impact on Population Health & Wellbeing Customized surgical implants & assistive devices production. Custom-fit safety equipment production.
Energy Consumption & Environmental Impact Based on the EIA method, AM has some good environmental characteristics: Eliminating engineered scrap. Eliminating the use of harmful ancillary process inputs. Much less pollution of environmental systems.
Energy Consumption & Environmental Impact According to ATKINS project comparison results: AM has clear advantages in terms of environmental impact. AM energy consumption far exceeds that of casting
Impact on Manufacturing Supply Chain AM technology offers new opportunities: Enables to Redesign products with fewer parts. Reduce setup and changeover time. Reduce non-value added activities to a minimum. Makes it economical to manufacture products near the end customers. Reduce the need for warehousing, transportation, and packaging.
Potential Health & Occupational Hazards Steps to reduce hazards in AM processes: Education in handling with AM chemicals and high-intensity laser beams. Provision of safety equipment in the work area. Investigation of toxicological and environmental hazards that may occur during AM processes.
Summary AM has many positive impacts: Improve population health & quality of life. Reduced environmental impact. Increase efficiency & responsiveness of supply chain. 2 areas that need further research attention: The energy consumption of various AM processes. The potential occupation hazards of AM.
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