Additive manufacturing, often known as 3D printing, is a manufacturing process that has been widely used in a variety of industries. Rapid prototyping, on the other hand, is utilized for distinct product prototypes or conceptual designing prior to the production process. Both additive manufacturing and rapid prototyping are intertwined and have several applications in industry.
Additive Manufacturing:
Additive manufacturing is a process that leads to add weight or increase in a weight is called additive manufacturing. A method is carried out without the use of tools or injection molding, and it is based only on 3D CAD model data. It increases the manufacturing flexibility as compared with the conventional manufacturing processes.
As a process that leads to increase in the weight like welding, adhesive bonding, coatings etc. Are also the additive manufacturing processes.
The form of additive manufacturing when carried out through print head technology or a layer by layer it can be called 3D printing.
Features of Additive Manufacturing:
In additive manufacturing, a component is manufactured using a 3D CAD file and is made layer by layer and simultaneously in all three spatial directions.
Additive manufacturing does not require multiple steps and iterations as in traditional and conventional manufacturing for complex parts.
There are differed materials can be used in additive manufacturing processes like plastics, resins, metals and ceramics.
The possibility of additive manufacturing provides the solutions for wide variety of applications to produce accurate and long-lasting models in the least amount of time
Additive manufacturing is mainly used for low or mid volume productions and it provides a solution to expensive tooling and setup costs.
The applications of additive manufacturing in aerospace, defense, medical, automotive and transportation industries due to advance thermoplastics and lower tooling costs.
Additive Manufacturing Practical Examples:
01. Aerospace Industry:
The application of additive manufacturing specifically for Aerospace industry are:
Ducting for controlling of environmental systems (ECS)
Interior components designing of aircraft
Combustor-liners
Composites-machining
Oil and gasoline tank components
02. Medical:
The health industry is adopting additive manufacturing to provide revolutionary solutions to doctors, patients, and research organizations. Additive manufacturing is highly utilized in medical manufacturing like bio-compatible 3D printing materials etc.
Other applications in biomedical industry are orthopedic implants, dental devices, and pre-surgery models.
03. Transportation Industry:
Transportation industry is using additive manufacturing for testing harsh and lightweight applications to avoid drag. The industry is utilizing for complex geometries & high temperature materials.
04. Consumer Products:
Additive manufacturing is ideal for consumer products industry for shorter development cycle and with realistic aesthetics and functionality.
05. Construction Industry:
Construction industry is also using additive manufacturing for different applications. For example:
Rapid Prototyping:
Producing prototype rapidly is called rapid prototyping. Rapid prototyping is a 3D printing or simply you can say that it is additive manufacturing application. Rapid prototyping in the industry is used to create prototypes through advance techniques based on the CAD designs. Less time and resources required for producing prototype.
Rapid prototyping is group of processes that is used to rapidly fabricate prototypes of parts or machine elements through 3D CAD data. There are three types:
Additive Manufacturing technology
Subtractive Manufacturing technology
Hybrid (Combined Additive & Subtractive)
It is the process of creating virtual product and validating through users, teams etc. There are three main stages of building a prototype.
Rapid Prototyping Features:
Rapid prototyping is normally achieved through additive manufacturing technology.
It provides the right tools to build prototype and test the designs without using excessive resources.
It helps to test assumptions, test users and enhance ideas.
It helps to take better design decisions and understand complexities.
Prototyping materials are unlimited, metals nonmetals can be used.
Reproducibility and interchangeability is high without compromising on the cost
Shorter processing cycles with lower costs. 50% reduction in general manufacturing cost.
Rapid Prototyping Practical Examples:
The very first example of prototype is paper prototyping. Sketching allows to explore quickly without investing much in time and energy.
Another form of prototyping is digital prototyping, for complex designing and details there is a need to develop prototype model, animations etc. for better understanding, user interface and research.
There are different types of prototypes based on their level of functionality. Here is an example of Bluetooth dongle prototype. Single shell mold to multi-functional.
Another example from automotive industry, Rapid prototyping is used in the automobile sector before incorporating a design as a spare component.
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