Design World – August 2019

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Additive Technology

Undoubtedly there are many benefits associated with the use of additive manufacturing (AM) as a production technology.

On a pan-industrial basis, manufacturers exploit the fact that through the use of AM they can not only build complex

parts, in one piece, that were previously impossible, but they can also build stronger, lighter weight parts, reduce material

consumption, and benefit from assembly component consolidation across a range of applications. These advantages

have all been well documented during the last 10-20 years as AM has emerged as a viable technology for prototyping and

will aid additive

Better post processing

Joseph Crabtree • CEO • Additive Manufacuring Technologies Ltd.

50 August 2019 http://www.makepartsfast.com DESIGN WORLD

Post processing, in one form or another, is inevitable with additive

manufacturing (AM) technologies. But it is critical for serial production

applications of AM in terms of the financial costs and the time it takes

between a part leaving the AM system and becoming an end-use product.

There are ways to make post processing efficient.

production, and are invariably seen as being enabled

by the additive hardware that builds the parts. In reality,

however, this is a partial picture, particularly for serial

production applications of AM. AM hardware systems are

just one part of an extensive ecosystem of technologies

that enable AM, both pre- and post-build.

By focusing just on the AM build process, a fundamental

part of the production process chain is often

overlooked, namely the post-processing steps once the

part is out of the AM machine. Manufacturers using (or

considering using) AM for serial production applications

need to identify the appropriate additive process

for their targeted application. From there the post-

processing requirements must be identified and focused

on, otherwise the use of AM as a viable alternative to

traditional manufacturing processes may end up being

negated completely.

manufacturing acceptance

Post Processing MPF 8-19_Vs3.LL.indd 50 8/5/19 11:35 AM