Additive Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing1 is the industrial version of 3-D printing is already being used in medical implants and, its original use, producing plastic prototypes for engineers and designers.
You may wonder, what would one use 3-D printing for in an industrial way? Well As of last fall GE2, General Electric, has decided to make a radical change to the way in which they produce parts, particularly in its aviation division. GE, the worlds largest supplier of jet engines, is preparing to print it's fuel nozzle for a new aircraft engine, rather than casting and welding the metal part. GE chose the 3-D printing process for manufacturing the nozzles because considerably less material than conventional production, which will not only lower manufacturing costs but will also make the end product lighter in weight. Lighter weight part= significant fuel savings for airlines. In the end saving both the manufacturer and the consumer happy spending less money for a better product. Martin Lamonica writes about the process in which the additive manufactured fuel nozzle will be produced,
The part will be built from a bed of cobalt-chromium powder. A computer-controlled laser shoots pinpoint beams onto the bed to melt the metal alloy in the desired areas, creating 20-micrometer-thick layers one by one. The process is a faster way to make complex shapes because the machines can run around the clock. And additive manufacturing in general conserves material because the printer can handle shapes that eliminate unnecessary bulk and create them without the typical waste.
Additive Manufacuring, 3-D printing, as has been tastified above, provides great benefits for the entire manifacturing chain. The freedom in design allowed provides your part to be as envisioned without any manufacturing constraints. This in particular can lead to extreme light-weight design and reduced part counts.Not only is it more cost effective, it also is a fast production route from CAD, Computer-Aided Design3, to a physical part with very high material utilization negating the need for casting and forging, an expensive alternitive. "In addition to the freedom in design and cost-effeciency, Additive Manufacturing (3-D Printing) is, due to its high material utilization, an energy-efficient and environmently friendly manufacturing route".
It is a Green Technology.