Why use Rapid Manufacturing?

In contrast to traditional processes, Rapid Manufacturing offers many unique traits. RM processes are capable of producing virtually any complexity of geometry where there are virtually no DFM restrictions – therefore, highly optimised geometries could be manufactured at no extra cost. Also, the flexibility and reconfigurability of the processes (especially jetting and powder based technologies) enables the same machine to be used for the manufacture of a whole host of different geometries for a range of applications and sectors from bio-medical, automotive, aerospace, consumer and sports, amongst many others. Also, RM offers the potential to change the paradigm of service and distribution with opportunities for producing affordable, highly complex, custom products at locations at or outside the conventional factory – possibly by the distributor, retailer or even the customer.

However, though many benefits potentially exist, RM is currently a nascent technology that is being used by a small number of pioneering organisations. In order for the environmental benefits of RM to be realised by the wider manufacturing community, significant research issues need to be overcome. For example, current design tools were developed for conventional manufacturing in mind and are currently unable to cope with the flexibility offered by RM. Therefore, new topologically-based optimisation design tools are required to maximise performance and minimise material usage of products. For manufacturing, the repeatability of existing “RM” systems are left significantly wanting in relation to conventional machine tools – this is because they have evolved from Rapid Prototyping technologies that were never intended for end-use part manufacture. Materials are also an area that requires significant effort in order for them to be accepted more generally by the manufacturing community – this will require an enormous, global effort in the creation of Standards. Lastly, supply and demand chains are presently configured for conventional manufacturing and thus will need to be dramatically reconfigured for the advent of RM.

Reducing the carbon footprint of part manufacture and distribution will be crucial of the future sustainable manufacturing aspirations of the EU. Using Rapid Manufacturing as the enabling technology, ATKINS will provide a route for the substantial reduction in energy required for the manufacture of components used in the transportation sector and will provide fully optimised products that maximise their own efficiency. Hence, ATKINS will lead to the low carbon manufacture of component parts that through optimised design and reduced weight will themselves reduce the carbon contribution of the vehicles in which they are used.