Additive/Subtractive Manufacturing Research and Development in Europe
Abstract
This report is a review of additive/subtractive manufacturing techniques in Europe. Otherwise known as Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF), this approach has resided largely in the prototyping realm, where the methods of producing complex freeform solid objects directly from a computer model without part-specific tooling or knowledge started. But these technologies are evolving steadily and are beginning now to encompass related systems of material addition, subtraction, assembly, and insertion of components made by other processes. Furthermore, these various additive/subtractive processes are starting to evolve into rapid manufacturing techniques for mass-customized products, away from narrowly defined rapid prototyping. Taking this idea far enough down the line, and several years hence, a radical restructuring of manufacturing as we know it could take place. Not only would the time to market be slashed, manufacturing itself would move from a resource base to a knowledge base and from mass production of single use products to mass customized, high value, life cycle products. At the time of the panel's visit, the majority of SFF research and development in Europe was focused on advanced development of existing SFF technologies by improving processing performance, materials, modeling and simulation tools, and design tools to enable the transition from prototyping to manufacturing of end use parts. Specific examples include: laser sintering of powders, direct metal deposition and laser fusion of powders, and ink jet printing techniques. Truly integrated layer-by-layer additive/subtractive processes under development are limited; European emphasis was on creating an entire process chain to create new business models.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA466756
Entities
People
- Clint Atwood
- David Bourell
- David M. Rosen
- Joseph J. Beaman
- Scott Hollister
- Theodore L. Bergman