The New Stage Of Manufacturing

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

The new stage of manufacturing

Research gathered on 3D printing and additive manufacturing; technology that builds objects layer by layer, has shed a light on the possibility for a leap towards a more sustainable way of living. This exciting technology only 3 decades old is said to be as revolutionary as the home computer. 3D printing has begun a movement in the right direction; however there are many social, economic and political factors that may restrict the technology from expanding and reaching its potential.

Wardy

1/25/2013

Content Page

Synopsis…………………………………………………………………………………………….………….…2

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….……………2

Background……………………………………………………………………………………….…….….…..3

How it Works…………………………………………………………………………………………….…….4

Manufacturing Advantages………………………………………………………………………..……5

Limitations………………………………………………………………………………………….…………..7

Environmental Change…………………………………………………………………………….…….11

Economy and Market Change……………………………………………….………..……………..11

Political and Social Change………………………………………………………………………...….11

Current Applications………………………………………………………………………………….....12

Future Prospects…………………………………………………………………………………….…..…12

Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………..13

References……………………………………………………………………….…………………………..14

Synopsis

Research gathered on 3D printing and additive manufacturing; a revolutionary technology that builds objects layer by layer, has shed a light on the possibility for a leap towards a more sustainable way of living. This exciting technology only 3 decades old is said to be as revolutionary as the home computer. 3D printing has begun a movement in the right direction; however there are many social, economic and political factors that may restrict the technology from expanding and reaching its potential.

Introduction

Imagine the ability to print any desired object, in any size, customized to your personal use. This is now a reality and could potentially change the way we live our lives, 3D printing or additive manufacturing is the new revolutionary technology that allows the ability to "print" objects from computer data. The idea of printing an object from virtually nothing is very interesting and from a sustainable point of view, this is considered as a step forward in terms of saving natural resources and energy.

3D printing starts with a blue print, usually one created with a computer aided design (CAD) program, this is a virtual 3D model of an object and many engineers and designers use these programs as a way to imagine the physical object before they are created in the real world. The 3D CAD file can be sliced to an STL file which guides the printing process.

By nature 3D printing is sustainable because rather than sculpting a desired object from; larger object using the traditional energy intensive ways of manufacturing, 3D printing allows the ability to print an object from a specific material. Building layer by layer can eliminate waste of resources and save on energy, this can also allow the design of complex internal structures that were somewhat impossible to do in the traditional ways.

Additive manufacturing can save time and cut production cycle costs for many industries, this is very positive in terms of economics. On the other hand, it is viewed in many ways as disruptive technology because of its ability to change the way we manufacture, demand and supply products. Instead of parts manufactured in a certain country and then assembled in another, AM can remove this by allowing the product to be manufactured in the same place or even remove assembly lines.

With great power comes great responsibility, being able to print a gun and use it is very dangerous and has a great impact on our society and the way we live our lives. 3D virtual data can be transferred via internet just like a PDF document, patent infringement will more likely occur as ideas are transferred around the globe and redesigned meaning new laws will have to be put in place.

The future is bright for this revolutionary technology and it is yet ungraspable exactly what can be achieved from it because it can expand in a variety of areas.

Background

In the late 80’s the idea of printing layers of materials really spawned after the invention of the inkjet printer. Charles Hull had given birth to printing with materials, rather than ink using a technique known as stereolithogrophy, which is essentially photo solidification. Using a beam of ultraviolet light to solidify layers of liquid polymers, thus creating a solid shape, the technology has carried out many improvements and alterations since then.

Now many types of lasers can be used to melt/weld together metallic and ceramic particles. Instead of high powered laser, some manufacturers are using other methods to attach the layers together, such as ultrasonic on metals which may lead to the ability of multi material printing.

http://media.economist.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/290-width/images/print-edition/20120421_SRD008_0.jpg

How it Works

The technologies that can be used to form a layer at a time vary and are currently in different stages of development. In order to enable usage of different materials, as well as increase build times or strengthen, many technologies have appeared. Some technologies are commercially existing techniques of making prototypes, others are swiftly becoming sustainable forms of production manufacturing, and newer technologies are constantly being improved. These different processes of additive building can be categorised by the type of material that is employed.

Liquid-based processes

These additive technologies normally use photo treatable polymer resins and treat selected portions of the resin to form each part layer. The most common liquid-based additive process is Stereolithography (SLA), which was the first commercially available additive process. Parts produced using this technology offer high accuracy and an appearance similar to moulded parts. However, photo treatable polymers give somewhat poor mechanical properties which may worsen over time. Other liquid-based processes include Jetted Photopolymer and Ink Jet Printing, which may use a single jet or multiple jets.

Powder-based processes

In powder-based processes, like as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), a selected amount of powdered material is sintered to form each part of layer. The use of powdered solids allows parts to be fabricated from polymers, metals and even ceramics. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of these parts are better and more stable than a photo treated polymer part. There are other powder-based processes like Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) and Three Dimensional Printing (3DP).

Solid-based processes

Solid-based processes use a variety of solid, non-powder, materials and each process differs in how it builds the layers of a part.

Most solid-based processes use sheet-stacking methods, in which very thin sheets of material are layered on top of one another and the shape of the layer is cut out. The most common sheet-stacking process is Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM), which uses thin sheets of paper, but other processes make use of polymer or metal sheets. Other solid-based processes use solid strands of polymer, not sheets, such as Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) which extrudes and deposits the polymer into layers.

Aside from the material type, additive fabrication processes can also be characterized by the number of dimensions of movement that are required to build the part. For example, a process like Stereo lithography or Selective Laser Sintering requires movement in the X, Y, and Z directions. In these processes, a laser cures only a small region of a layer at a time. Therefore, the build mechanism (a laser in this case) or the part must move in X and Y direction to allow an entire layer to be formed, and then in the Z direction to allow the next layer to be built. Most additive processes operate in this way, requiring 3 dimensions of movement. However, some processes may only require 2 dimensions of movement. As an example, some ink-jet processes use an array of jets that form a "strip" of a layer at a time. Therefore, movement is only required in the Y direction to form a layer, and then the Z direction to build the next layer. Finally, some emerging technologies are using a two dimensional array of mirrors to form an entire part layer at once, requiring movement in only one direction, the Z direction. Such technologies are appealing because fewer dimensions of movement results in faster build times and lower cost.

Manufacturing Advantages

The difference between today’s method of manufacturing known as subtractive manufacturing and the ability to print layer upon layer has opened up a new paradigm for engineers to explore and redevelop our existing technologies as well as the methods of which many product are manufactured today.

Design Freedom

For many engineers and designers, this ability to design with freedom rather than what our current traditional tools can make brings a new and exciting challenge. Highly complex products from glass to plastics to metals to even human cells can be designed and manufactured without limitations (only software restrictions). This also allows for significant parts removed from a specific design as several parts can now be printed as ONE single part which was impossible before, this in terms of maintenance is very important and can give certain products a longer life span.

Energy and Resource Reduction

As these techniques save substantially a lot of resources due to the nature of how they work, from a sustainable point this is a step in the right direction. The ability to reuse by products or even recycling and remanufacturing products through advanced Additive manufacturing can also return end-of-life product to its original state, good as new. Regarding energy, many conventional steps of manufacturing will be removed thus already saving energy. Products will no longer need to be transported from country to country burning fuel and wasting energy; rather products will be printed when needed at the location of the product also saving on space or storage.

Economic Benefits

The economy has much to benefit from this technology; currently the automotive, aerospace, creative and medical industries are making the most use of it. For many companies, small businesses and even individuals the main objective is a product. 3D printing or additive manufacturing can actually cut down time, cost and traditional design requirements for many products because it provides a prototype or even a product that can be tested quickly and thus saving a substantial amount of costs.

Less waste

Building objects up layer by layer, instead of traditional machining processes that cut away material can reduce material needs and costs by up to 90%.

Reduced time to market

Items can be fabricated as soon as the 3-D digital description of the part has been created, eliminating the need for expensive and time-consuming part tooling and prototype fabrication.

Innovation

Additive manufacturing eliminates traditional manufacturing-process design restrictions. It makes it possible to create items previously considered too intricate and greatly accelerates final product design. Multi-functionality can also be embedded in printed materials, including variable stiffness, conductivity, and more. The ability to improve performance and functionality—literally customizing products to meet individual customer needs—will open new markets and could improve profitability.

Agility

Additive techniques enable rapid response to markets and create new production options outside of factories, such as mobile units that can be placed near the source of local materials. Spare parts can be produced on demand, reducing or eliminating the need for stockpiles and complex supply chains.

http://makezine.com/images/makerfaire_2006/projects/147_3dart.jpg

Limitations

Like any other technology additive manufacturing is not without flaws, however with the speed that this technology is advancing it may well overcome all its limitations and restrictions in the near future.

Component costs are too high

Powders and resins are expensive for part mass production and in the case of metals not all are tailored to AM. This impacts considerably on the overall part cost, as for higher deposition rate process, the material cost becomes the major factor in the final part cost. Current AM machines have size limitations, mostly for powder bed processing; limiting the scale of production volumes than can be economically processed in one batch using traditional methods.

Deposition rates of processes are too slow

For example, for most applications powder bed metal based processes need to be between four and ten times faster than the current rate. At the current rate of build, machine depreciation results in parts of too high cost except for some very small complex geometries, such as dental implants. Current AM machines are not cost effective for production in terms of their sales price compared to their production output capabilities unless the final product can demand an extremely high price per unit volume of material.

Highly regulated sectors, such as the aerospace and medical devices sectors, require that new products and processes must meet exacting industry standards before they can be introduced. This qualification necessarily involves longer and more rigorous development and implementation cycles, which add to the costs. This barrier particularly affects the ability of SMEs to introduce new products to the healthcare market.

AM processes are not robust enough

Process consistency between batches and machines is lacking, largely as a result of uncontrolled process variables, variations within the enabling machine supply chain, specifically with machine optical trains, and material batch differences.

Few in-line process control and monitoring methods are available to give manufacturers greater confidence that specifications are being met or that closed loop process rectification is taking place.

Limited data is available to develop sufficiently accurate and detailed mathematical models to simulate AM processes, limiting the amount of pre-production simulation and planning and often resulting in failed component builds and expensive errors; AM processes and enabling design data methodologies are relatively immature in comparison to traditional manufacturing processes, which is limiting the ability to implement the technology in certain applications and impeding the stimulation of potential customers to consider the adoption of AM.

Technology Lack

Many applications are at relatively low Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), for example, many metallic powder bed and blown powder applications are perceived to have a TRL between 3 and 5; TRL 9 is typically associated with a technology that is ‘ready’ for wide scale production application.

The AM supply chain is not mature and often fragmented as a result of this low TRL; necessitating extensive supplier searching and discussion between supply chain partners to agree technical specifications and requirements.

Low awareness of AM technologies means that they are failing sometimes to make full market impact even where they offer clear benefits, for example some companies making dental crowns in the medical devices sector remain unaware of AM, although it is being used by their competitors.

Designers are not trained in AM application and do not achieve the maximum benefit from the design freedom offered by AM. The result being that the possible geometric opportunities which can increase business profit are not fully understood.

Materials are often not optimised for AM processes

There is a limited choice of materials available for AM, which is slowing the wider adoption of the technology. The goal of faster deposition rates is likely to lead to rougher surface finish, which may reduce fatigue resistance even with post processing. Alloys developed specifically for rapid deposition may alleviate this problem. Polymers processed by 3D printing are not sufficiently strong or durable; an unacceptable situation in the creative industries if several thousand pounds are being charged for an arts or craft based item. Parts have a limited shelf life due to hydroscopic and UV instability.

Colour choices from polymers are limited

In many cases, AM development has been driven by engineering sensibilities, which means a vast market of the creative industry sector, where colour detail is sought, is not being served. Where colour is available, such as ceramic 3D Printing, it is in materials that are not suited to AM applications due to limited mechanical properties.

Environmental Change

Advances on this technology can have a high impact on our current pollution state and help reduce resource waste as well as utilization of energy for optimum use. For example, existing engineering tools such as heat exchangers and reaction vessels can be design in a completely different way using the power of additive manufacturing to increase their efficiencies.

Recycling will now be favoured as many AM machines operate using powder beds, although many are not optimized for many materials, as we see this technology evolve we will likely see more and more individuals and firms recycling existing waste products to producing brand new ones. This is also beneficial in terms of economics as many materials will not be needed to be extracted from the ground like metals or manufactured from oil like plastics, rather existing materials will be used and then reused.

Economy and Market Change

The ability to modify a design online and immediately create the item without wasteful casting or drilling makes additive manufacturing an economical way to create single items, small batches, and, potentially, mass-produced items.

This may have a negative effect on many big companies, some of which have invested a lot of money manufacturing goods and then storing them for future use, this technology allows for on demand production, meaning any product that is made and stored is in a sense "wasting space".

Political and Social Change

Politically this technology has a major influence over a nation’s economy. So far countries like the USA, Canada, Germany and UK are already investing in additive manufacturing but also producing patents of their work, which possibly may hinder and restrict many people across the globe from using this technology. Many laws and regulations will no doubt have to be revised and re-evaluated.

Socially, this may change our view or luxurious products and may in fact spark the artist in every individual to produce their own products customized to them.

Current Applications

This technology has branched out into many sectors of industries and in many cases has allowed for individuals to start businesses without factories.

Additive fabrication processes initially yielded parts with few applications due to limited material options and mechanical properties. However, improvements to the processing technologies and material options have expanded the possibilities for these layered parts. Now, additive fabrication is used in a variety of industries, including the aerospace, architectural, automotive, consumer product, medical product, and military industries. The application of parts in these industries is quite vast. For example, some parts are merely aesthetic such as jewelry, sculptures, or 3D architectural models. Others are customized to meet the user's personal needs such as specially fitted sports equipment, dental implants, or prosthetic devices. The following three categories are often used to describe the different application of additive fabrication and may be applied to all of the above industries.

Future Prospects

It is easy to envision a "printed" world; there is no limit to this amazing technology that has fell in our hands. Since the technology is moving so fast it is immature to claim when exactly is this printed world coming and how we may use it. It is evidently clear that it will have a part to play in many industries.

Many companies and some universities are currently experimenting with cement, while others are working on increasing the speed time to finished products and many more trying to improve the process by introducing robotic arms integrated during the printing process. Some companies are already producing patents for their work.

No doubt that subtractive manufacturing will still play a big role in production, however with this hybrid form of manufacturing that will allow us to advance. The possibility of AM to localize the product manufacturing is also observed in this thesis. Since most of the major scale model kit manufacturers have their manufacturing sites centralized in parts of Asia and China, the distribution of their products relies heavily on transportation to their customers all around the world.

Conclusion

In terms of sustainability and energy consumption, AM only has an advantage in this area when working with a very low production volume. This energy-based cross-over production volume varies with the choice of raw materials and the product’s geometry. AM technologies are still very new but have the potential for development and reduction of energy consumption in the future. Added to this potential is the higher material usage efficiency of AM, which reduces the waste of materials and the energy, embedded in them. These two factors are likely to position AM as cleaner manufacturing alternative.

In terms of economics, the on-demand production capability of AM offers the possibility to reduce the surplus production of goods. For a product with an uncertain amount of customer demand and a product where up-front investment is not affordable, AM has a lot of benefits over IM by allowing the investor to actually only invest in the amount of product that is needed by the customers.

While thousands of new companies and industries will bloom in the wake widespread of 3D printing, they may not exist when the large companies and corporations start to call for increased laws for protection against copyrights. Policymakers and judges will be forced to weigh concrete losses today against future benefits which are not easy to quantify or imagine.