A thin layer of coating applied over a material or structure.
Published in Chapter:
Introduction to Additive Manufacturing
K. R. Balasubramanian (National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India), V. Senthilkumar (National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India), and Divakar Senthilvel (National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India)
Copyright: © 2020
|Pages: 24
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-4054-1.ch001
Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) is also referred to as 3D printing, rapid prototyping, solid freeform fabrication, rapid manufacturing, desktop manufacturing, direct digital manufacturing, layered manufacturing, generative manufacturing, layered manufacturing, solid free-form fabrication, rapid prototype, tool-less model making, etc. It is emerging as an important manufacturing technology. It is the process of building up of layer-by-layer by depositing a material to make a component using the digital 3D model data. The main advantages of AM are mass customization, minimisation of waste, freedom of designing complex structures, and ability to print large structures. AM is broadly applicable to all classes of materials including metals, ceramics, polymers, composites, and biological systems. The AM methods used for producing complex geometrical shapes are classified based either on energy source (laser, electron beam) used or the material feed stock (powder feed, wire feed).