This guide introduces design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) and offers an overview of its benefits, applications, the design process and integration with the CAD system.
But what exactly is AM?
Additive manufacturing (AM) is the process of building up layers of material to create a physical model of a digital design, and it is typically associated with industrial and manufacturing applications. Initially, AM was used to reproduce parts originally designed for traditional manufacturing processes.
However, without the limitations of traditional manufacturing processes, products could be designed for additive manufacturing (DfAM), with innovative shapes that couldn’t be previously manufactured with castings or machining. Today, these technologies are often embedded in the conventional manufacturing process.