This paper gives an overview of the issues and opportunities for the application of topology optimization methods for additive manufacturing (AM). The main analysis issues discussed are: how to achieve the maximum geometric resolution to allow the fine features easily manufacturable by AM to be represented in the optimization model; the manufacturing constraints to be considered, and the workfl...

Today’s product designer is being asked to develop high quality, innovative products at an ever increasing pace. To meet this need, Additive Manufacturing has shown the possibilities of enabling complex geometry and economic small batch production. As a result, AM opens a new opportunity for designers to create innovative products that were unfeasible to be manufactured economically before. Exa...

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of an important, rapidly emerging, manufacturing technology that is alternatively called additive manufacturing (AM), direct digital manufacturing, free form fabrication, or 3D printing, etc. A broad contextual overview of metallic AM is provided. AM has the potential to revolutionize the global parts manufacturing and logistics landscape. It enables dist...

During the last decade, additive manufacturing has become increasingly popular for rapid prototyping, but has remained relatively marginal beyond the scope of prototyping when it comes to applications with tight tolerance specifications, such as in aerospace. Despite a strong desire to supplant many aerospace structures with printed builds, additive manufacturing has largely remained limited to...

Additive manufacturing (AM) has the potential to create geometrically complex parts that require a high degree of customization, using less material and producing less waste. Recent studies have shown that AM can be an economically viable option for use by the industry, yet there are some inherent challenges associated with AM for wider acceptance. The lack of standards in AM impedes its use fo...

A test artifact, intended for standardization, is proposed for the purpose of evaluating the performance of additive manufacturing (AM) systems. A thorough analysis of previously proposed AM test artifacts as well as experience with machining test artifacts have inspired the design of the proposed test artifact. This new artifact is designed to provide a characterization of the capabilities and...

For large-scale selective laser melting (SLM) additive manufacturing technology, three main problems severely restrict its development and application, namely the residual stress, defects, and columnar grains with anisotropy. To overcome these problems, a new method is proposed by combining SLM with ultrasonic impact treatment (UIT) technique. This study explores the feasibility of UIT assisted...

During the last decade, the development in metallic material additive manufacturing (formerly also known as Rapid Manufacturing, RM or Rapid Tooling, RT) has brought this technology from niche applications and short run tooling to be a competitive method capable of producing complex geometries in industrial grade materials, such as for example injection moulding tool inserts with integrated con...