Rapid Manufacturing (RM) is the name given to the production of ‘series’ or ‘end-use’ component parts made using ‘Additive Layer Manufacturing’ (ALM) processes. Traditionally, ALM processes were used to manufacture prototypes and casting patterns. However, recent advances in ALM technologies and materials, now allow us to manufacture parts for a variety of production applications.
RM is seen by many as one of the most important emerging technologies that will drive the future manufacturing economy. Because RM uses layer-wise manufacturing, traditional Design for Manufacture (DFM) principles no longer need apply. Therefore, RM components can be manufactured with no split lines, or with complex internal and re-entrant features. RM also allows for significant part consolidation, reducing manufacturing, assembly and inspection costs.
One of the most notable advantages of RM is the potential elimination of tooling. Without the constraints of tooling, jigs and fixtures, RM provides manufacturers the ability to produce cost effective batch sizes of ‘one’, or the ability to manufacture parts at multiple locations or with multiple product design iterations at no additional cost.
Many business benefits can be attributed to the adoption of RM. These include the reduction or elimination of fixed assets such as mould tooling, jigs and fixtures and cutting tools, resulting in reduced capital investment. RM can reduce or eliminate many stages of the traditional supply chain, which reduces lead times, inventory and supply chain transaction and logistics costs. RM also allows for the manufacture of topologically optimized components, producing parts that are ‘manufactured-for-design’, as opposed to ‘designed-for-manufacture’.
Because RM parts are made using additive manufacturing technologies, as opposed to subtractive machining or formative moulding processes, little if any waste material is generated. Moreover, additive manufacturing allows for almost unlimited geometric complexity, providing new design freedoms and significant parts consolidation. Additive manufacturing processes are lean, yet agile, allowing the manufacture of low volume batches of component parts, with little manual intervention.
In recent years, there has been an almost exponential increase in the number of companies using RM across a broad range of industrial sectors. Examples of RM applications include aerospace and automotive components, packaging, medical implants, hearing aid shells and surgical guides, and consumer products such as light shades, furniture and even football boots.
|
|