Additive Manufacturing (AM)

Evolution of 3D Printing

3D printing, appearing in the 1980s, went through a colossal evolutionary path, divided into two main directions - rapid model creation and additive production. About the main milestones of this path - in a separate material TAdviser.

Revolutionary advantages

Parts are manufactured directly from a computer file containing a 3D model, virtually cut into thin layers, which is transmitted to the AP system, for layer-by-layer formation of the final product. AP technologies provide flexibility to allow rapid production of complex customized products and spare parts that either cannot be manufactured using traditional production technologies or are required in small volumes. The complex configuration (for example, the presence of internal cooling channels in the part), which cannot be obtained by machining, can be easily reproduced by selective application of the material.

The advantages of digital models include not only the arbitrariness of form, but also the possibility of their instant transmission anywhere in the world, which allows organizing local production on a global scale. Another important feature of AP technologies is the proximity of the resulting product shape to a given one, which significantly reduces material costs and production waste.

A joint study by the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (Bristol, UK) and the EOS Innovation Center (Warwick, UK) showed that raw material savings in AP can reach 75%. Thanks to all these qualities, the AP, in comparison with traditional production technologies, has significant potential in terms of reducing costs, energy saving and reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere.

The unique capabilities of the AP provide the following advantages:

• Reduce the time and cost of putting the product into production without the need for specialized tooling
• possibility and economic feasibility of small-scale production;
• operational changes in the project at the production stage;
• functional optimization of products (for example, implementation of optimal shape of cooling channels);
• economic feasibility of production of customized products;
• reduction of losses and production waste;
• Opportunities to simplify logistics, reduce delivery times, and reduce inventory
• personalization of design.

3D printers

Main Article: 3D Printers (Global Market)

3D printing trends

Main article: 3D printing trends

Additive production in Russia

Main article: 3D printing (additive technologies) in Russia

Additive Technology Market

2024

Revolution in 3D printing. New wood material makes homes stronger than concrete

In August 2024, researchers at the University of Virginia unveiled a new additive for 3D-printed building materials that makes homes stronger than concrete. To do this, the scientists used cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) extracted from wood pulp.

Concrete production is one of the main sources of global carbon emissions, accounting for approximately 8% of the total. The new material could revolutionize 3D printing technology for artificial concrete while addressing global warming. Vegetable fibers can be used to increase the fluidity and strength of composite materials, while providing a more economical and environmentally friendly option for construction companies.

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Interestingengineering.com

The improvements we recorded in determining printability and evaluating mechanical performance show that incorporating cellulose nanofibrils into commercial 3D printed materials can provide more sustainable and sustainable construction practices, said Osman E. Ozbuluth, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Virginia.

In building construction, specialized printers create structures layer by layer using cement-based material and computer-aided design. However, the range of printed materials is limited, and their long-term characteristics and environmental impact have not yet been determined. At the same time, new materials must flow well to ensure ease of manufacture, but solidify into a stable material with critical properties, providing high mechanical strength, interlayer adhesion and low thermal conductivity. The CNF supplement, according to studies, meets all these requirements.^[1]

A centrifugal system of stereolithographic 3D printing has been released. It increases the speed of 3D printers by 10 times

In early August 2024, Fugo Precision 3D introduced the Fugo Model A centrifugal 3D stereolithographic printing system. This innovative technology provides "layerless" printing with an accuracy of about 30 microns and a speed of 10 times higher than traditional stereolithographic printers. Read more here

Developed a 3D printing method that is 10 times faster than others

On January 25, 2024, US researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced the development of a new technology for 3D printing with liquid metal, which is claimed to provide approximately 10 times higher speed compared to other similar methods. You can use the system to create large parts, such as table legs and chair frames.

Architecture and construction uses WAAM (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) technology - electric arc cultivation. This is metal wire printing, in which the arc welding method is used. The system allows you to create large structures, but they can be subject to cracking and deformation, since some elements need to be melted again during printing. The new method proposed by MIT maintains the metal in a molten state throughout the process, thus avoiding structural problems.

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MIT

The created installation heats pieces of aluminum to 700 degrees Celsius, which is higher than its melting point (660 degrees). The liquid metal is contained in a graphite crucible and fed through a ceramic nozzle to a printing plate. The latter is filled with tiny 100 micron glass balls. These pellets are so small that they practically do not change the surface characteristics of the printed object. After delivery, the molten aluminum cools in a few minutes to form the final article.

The team chose aluminum because it is widely used in construction and can be inexpensive and efficiently recycled. In the future, the researchers intend to improve the installation by eliminating existing shortcomings, such as clogging the nozzle due to sticking of material and insufficient control over the process.^[2]

2023: New 3D concrete printing technology reduces wall weight by 72% while maintaining strength

On March 20, 2023, American researchers from the University of Michigan announced the development of a new technology for 3D printing with concrete (3DCP), which can reduce wall weight by more than 70% compared to traditional structures while maintaining strength. Read more here.

2022: Sheet Metal 3D Printing Technology Enters the Market

On September 7, 2022, US 3D printer maker Desktop Metal unveiled a new technology called Figur G15, which developers claim will greatly simplify the industrial production of sheet metal, Chief Executive Officer Rick Fulop told Reuters. Read more here.

2021: 3D Printing Market Size $15.1 Billion, Increasing CAGR

According to the Hubs^[3], released in early May 2022 - 2021, it became critical for the 3D printing industry, especially after the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the industry is recovering and returning to the path of achieving pre-pandemic growth. The market size estimate in 2021 of $15.1 billion slightly exceeded the forecast from the previous report. Another clear sign of recovery is that the CAGR for the entire additive manufacturing industry is projected to be 24% over the next five years, significantly higher than the CAGR of 19% from the previous report.

In certain segments of the 3D printing industry, such as 3D printing with metal, which was badly affected by the pandemic in 2020 (practically did not grow between 2019 and 2020), growth resumed in 2021. In particular, polymer and metal segments grew by 16.2%. from 2020 to 2021. The report acknowledged that growth was slower than expected before the pandemic, with metals slightly lagging behind polymers.

The latest trend in the 3D printing industry addressed in the report was market consolidation. With numerous high-profile mergers and acquisitions in 2021, including the acquisition of EnvisionTEC and ExOne by Desktop Metal, and Hubs' partnership with Protolabs, there are signs that the market is beginning to stabilize and mature.

2020: Global Industrial 3D Printing Market Reaches $1.9 Billion

In the context of the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, the global market for industrial 3D printing reached $1.9 billion. This became known from a study published in mid-July 2021.

Researchers note that by 2027 the market will reach a size of $6 billion, with a CAGR of 17.6% for the period 2020-2027 under review. 3D printers, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is expected to show a CAGR of 16.5% and reach $2.1 billion by the end of the analyzed period.

The global market for industrial 3D printing in 2020 reached $1.9 billion

The industrial 3D printing market USA in is estimated at $575.7 million in 2020. According to analysts' forecasts, by 2027 the second largest market in the world China will reach a projected estimate of $1.1 billion, and the CAGR will be 17.4% for the period from 2020 to 2027. Other notable geographic markets include and, Japan Canada each projected to grow 15.6% and 14.9%, respectively, between 2020-2027 Germany. The forecast is for an average annual growth of about 12.3%.

Among the key players in the industrial 3D printing market in 2020:

• 3D Systems;
• EnvisionTEC;
• EOS;
• ExOne;
• GE Additive;
• HP;
• Materialise;
• SLM Solutions;
• Stratasys;
• Voxeljet.

In the software segment, the United States, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will provide a CAGR of 18.2% for this segment. These regional markets, which together account for $357.2 million in 2020, will reach a projected size of $1.2 billion by the end of 2027. China will remain one of the fastest growing regional markets in this segment. Led by countries such as Australia, India and South Korea, the Asia-Pacific market will reach $701.2 million by 2027^[4]

2018: Frost & Sullivan predicts market growth to $21.5 billion by 2025

Global Market Overview

The annual growth rate of the global additive technology market is 15%. While maintaining CAGR at this level, Frost & Sullivan predicts an increase in market volume from $5.31 billion in 2018 to $21.5 billion in 2025. According to analysts, by that time up to 51% of the market will be in the aviation industry, the healthcare sector and the automotive industry. The industries in which the use of additive manufacturing technologies will be most noticeable in 2025 are shown in Figure 1:

Additive Technology Market Structure in 2025 by Use. The "Other" segment includes the energy and food industries, the construction industry, etc. Source: Frost & Sullivan

Countries North America have been and, according to 2018 data, remain the largest consumer of additive technologies in the world. In 2015, the volume of the North American market was estimated at $2.35 billion with the prospect of growth to $7.65 billion by 2025. The second largest is the market of countries and the Europe Middle East. In 2015, its total volume was $1.81 billion, and by 2025 it could increase to $7.18 billion.

One of the fastest growing is the Asia-Pacific market. In the period 2015-2025 annual growth rates will be 18.6%, and the volume will increase more than 5 times - from $1.01 billion in 2015 to $5.56 billion in 2025. At the same time, China will account for about 70%, according to Frost & Sullivan.

Additive Technology Market Structure in 2025 by Region. The Other segment includes India, Latin America, Russia, Australia, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands. Source: Frost & Sullivan

In North America, 3D printing technologies are being actively introduced in the aerospace, defense and automotive industries. In recent years, the number of startup projects has increased sharply both in these and other areas.

The adoption of additive technologies in Europe and the Middle East is slower than in North America. The main focus here is on the use of 3D printing based on laser technologies in the shipbuilding industry and in industry. At the same time, in recent years, there has been an increase in investment in 3D printing technologies from automotive companies.

China will widely use 3D printing for mass production of components for the aerospace industry. The projected decrease in production costs will allow the country to increase production volumes in the coming years.

Key trends

Frost & Sullivan's typical trends in the global additive technology market of recent years include:

• Constant increase in the share of parts manufactured using additive technologies as final ("finished") products - direct manufacturing;
• Rapid development of 3D printing technologies, reducing the time and cost of production due to the use of heterogeneous materials;
• Increase the scale of the introduction of 3D printing technologies in the aviation, aerospace, automotive, healthcare, as well as in the segment of consumer products;
• The use of 3D printing to create rapidly reconfigurable plants that reduce the time from the concept development stage to the creation of a prototype by 70 percent or more;
• Growth of R&D financing in the field of additive production;
• Consolidation of the market by forming consortia uniting enterprises, research centers and universities, as well as uniting former competitors. Almost annually, new companies and new technologies appear on the market. But some of them, unable to withstand competition, disappear, and some of them go under the wing of large companies;
• Creation of specialized organizations with the aim of combining the efforts of companies and academia engaged in the development of solutions for additive production (for example, the American National Institute of Additive Industry Innovation ("America Makes");
• Reduce the cost of production by reducing the cost of equipment and increasing the availability of technologies.

Key players

Frost & Sullivan estimates that the following companies are the world market leaders:

• 3D Systems (USA);
• EOS Gmbh (Germany);
• SLM Solutions (Germany);
• Stratasys (USA);
• Objet Geometry (USA-Israel);
• Envisiontec (USA-Germany (DLP);
• ExOne (USA);
• Voxeljet (Germany);
• Arcam AB (Sweden).

Development forecasts

• The use of granules and powder materials in 3D printing will eliminate the use of triangular and cylindrical shapes in the manufacture of products;
• The use of carbon (graphite) fiber and metal particles will improve the mechanical, chemical and thermal characteristics of products (in particular, for the oil and gas and defense industries);
• Manufacturers of computer design and modeling systems (CAD, CAE) are developing solutions for 3D printing, which will reduce the error in the manufacture of products and increase the accuracy of production;
• Optimization of characteristics and development of additive technologies will increase the accuracy, speed and quality of 3D printing. By 2020, the speed of 3D printers will double;
• One of the key areas of service development in the 3D printing market will be leasing of 3D printers;
• The development will be the production of 3D printers that allow you to create large-sized products with high accuracy;
• The "graphene" material, known for its physical and electrical properties, will be used to produce metal cores (fibers) and power cells.

2016: Top 5 manufacturers of AS systems

Leading manufacturers of AS systems for 2016 include:

• 3D Systems (USA),
• ExOne (USA),
• Stratasys (Israel),
• Arcam (Sweden),
• EOS (Germany) and
• Voxejet (Germany).

In terms of the number of installed systems in 2016, the United States is leading by a wide margin, having assembled 38% of industrial installations. A significant number of installations are also operated in Japan (9.7%), Germany (9.4%) and China (8.7%). The share of Russia is 1.4%.

2012: Market volume growth by 28.6% to $2.2 billion

Consultant Terry Wohler in November 2013 published a report according to which in 2012 the global sector of products and services of additive production showed a cumulative annual increase of 28.6%, which, in terms of the market, corresponds to $2,204 billion. According to Waller's forecasts, by 2021 the volume of the AP market will be more than $10 billion. Research by the McKinsey Global Institute suggests that the impact of AP on global GDP could reach $550 billion per year by 2025.

Another metric that Wahler tracks is the number of AP units sold. In 2012, almost 8,000 industrial systems were sold (with prices above $5,000). In the structure of income received from production and services in the field of AP, the share attributable to the manufacture of components of the final products increased almost from zero in 2003 to 28% in 2012.

Additive manufacturing applications

In 2016, rapid prototyping remains the predominant area of ​ ​ use of AP processes. Some of the applications of AP technology are also the rapid manufacture of tooling, in particular the production of molds.

As existing ones improve and develop new, more developed AP technologies, they are increasingly used. By 2016, these technologies are being used to make a variety of products, including molding tools, parts for the aerospace, defense and automotive industries, electronics and much more.

Aerospace industry

This area has been showing an acute interest in AP technologies since their inception; the ability to eliminate many limitations on the path from project to production allows you to implement solutions in the project that increase efficiency and reduce the weight of parts. Moreover, by its very nature, this market requires small-scale production of high-quality parts, so getting rid of tooling offered by AP technologies brings significant benefits. Certification requirements in this area are very strict. Nevertheless, a number of systems and materials have been certified, and in 2016 AP technologies are used for small-scale production of aircraft parts.

The General Electric company (GE) has announced its readiness for relatively mass production of fuel nozzles for its new LEAP turboprop engine using a cobalt chromium powder DMLS process. GE noted that it can produce at least 25,000 injectors per year (one engine requires 19 injectors). Other companies employed in this industry, such as, and, are Lockheed Martin Boeing Siemens also closely exploring the possibilities of the AP. The media claim that Boeing has produced more than 20,000 parts by AP methods, which are already used in the company's military and civilian aircraft. These include components made of thermoplastic by the SLS process.

Research on cost reduction caused by the use of AP in the aerospace industry indicates a significant gain when working on some details or tasks. For example, using the LENS process to restore turbine blades at a military warehouse in Anniston (USA) results in a saving of $6297 per part, which gives an annual savings of $1,444,416. Similarly, as the calculations show, the restoration of blade ends in the AV8B engine made of titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V saves $715,000 per year. The literature mentions many other similar reports of reduced costs for aircraft parts, including the projected savings for the airline of $2.5 million only due to a 50-80% reduction in the weight of metal mounts in the cabin during their manufacture using AS technologies.

Automotive industry

Due to the relatively high cost and low productivity of AP technologies, their use in the automotive industry is still mainly associated with motorsport. High production volumes and requirements for the quality of mass vehicles led to the use of AP technologies mainly in the field of prototyping and tooling, which helps companies reduce the development and production cycle. A good example of the use of AP in the automotive industry is the experience of Daimler AG (Stuttgart, Germany), which, in partnership with Concept Laser and the Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technologies, replaced the expensive and long-term processes of casting into coke and sand molds used to manufacture large functional metal parts with an AP process that made it possible to optimize the geometry of parts and achieve weight loss.

The upcoming prospects for the use of AP technologies in the automotive industry were demonstrated by Local Motors, which, using 3D printing, made the first travel-friendly car - a two-seater electric car called Strati.

Medical devices

• 3D printing in medicine
• 3D Printing in Medicine (Global Market)

Logistics

• How 3D Printing Lets You Personalize Supply Chains

Certification of AS equipment

It is a critical factor for the implementation of the AP and is a necessary prerequisite for the certification of structural units. In 2016, the part-to-part and installation-to-installation characteristics are unstable. The technology qualification process for a particular material may vary, but some mandatory elements are common. Three main questions can be distinguished:

• Is the technology of this material developed and standardized? The material manufacturing process must comply with a rigid specification.

• Is there a sufficiently complete description of the characteristics of the application technology of this material? It is necessary to have statistically reliable data on the mechanical properties of the material that meet the requirements of MMPDS.

• Has this material been demonstrated? The components of the technology should be demonstrated in the appropriate operating situation.

Qualification of AS for use in structurally critical applications faces significant problems for the following reasons:

• AP is a young and rapidly developing technology with a large number of fairly heterogeneous AP installations;

• standardization is the first step in the traditional certification process. However, the "freezing" of the process required in standardization comes into direct meaningful contradiction with AP processing;

• generating the required amount of data on the mechanical properties of materials involves significant financial and time costs.

For example, the traditional approach to certification and certification of aircraft parts is very costly both from a financial point of view (it is necessary to spend over $130 million) and from a temporary point of view (it takes about 15 years). The development of a statistically significant database alone costs $8-15 million, requires testing 5 000-100 000 samples and takes more than two years. Thus, alternative approaches are required to allow accelerated certification.

Manufacturers of AP equipment usually tie their equipment to specific control processes and proprietary materials, practically turning the installation into a black box and thereby limiting its use on the market. In practice, some equipment manufacturers even insist that they themselves must perform software setup of the installation to produce a specific part. Such a business model limits the capabilities of product manufacturers (users and plant operators) in terms of understanding and developing the metrology of AP processes.

The widespread use of AP technologies implies their profitability. Factors that favor AP technologies in comparison with traditional production are listed in the table.

By 2016, AP technologies are convenient for the manufacture of small batches, for which the higher cost of special raw materials is compensated by a decrease in fixed costs associated with traditional production.

It should be especially noted such characteristics of the AP as speed, flexibility and ease of reconfiguration, since they make it possible to produce "just in time." Although this type of savings is more difficult to measure, it seems clear that AP is a valuable possibility when a critical part (necessary, say, for the system to remain functional) can be manufactured in a few days instead of several weeks. AS technologies can reduce logistics, energy costs and costs associated with packaging, transportation and storage of spare parts.

Research areas

By 2016, research in the field of AP is carried out mainly in specialized research centers, which are created at universities with large-scale support from industry and the government (both federal and local). National research institutes and laboratories of the Ministry of Defense are increasingly involved in this activity. The Roadmap for the Development of Additive Production, compiled in 2009 following a seminar with the participation of 65 key experts, describes research priorities in the main areas of additive production. By 2016, this document is a guide to research in the field of AP.

Engineering:

• The development of conceptual design methods that will help determine the boundaries and conduct research on the space of design solutions opened by AP technologies.

• Develop new working principles for computer-aided design systems in order to overcome the limitations of existing approaches to volume modeling in terms of the representation of complex geometric structures and the simultaneous use of several materials.

• The development of a multi-level methodology for the modeling and reverse design process, which allows you to navigate the complex system of process-structure-properties relationships.

• Creates modeling and design methods with variable parameters, such as shape, process, and properties.

Modeling and Process Control:

• Development of predictive models for process-structure-properties relationships integrated into computer-aided design, design and manufacturing (/ CAD E/M) systems.

• Creation of adaptive and self-regulating control system with direct and feedback capabilities. Control system algorithms should rely on a predictive model of the system's response to changes in the process.

• Creation of new sensors (sensors) capable of functioning in working chambers of AS installations, and development of methods for processing information received from a set of different sensors (sensor fusion).

Material and Plant Processes:

• Achieving a more complete understanding of the physics of AP technologies, which takes into account the complex interaction of various physical phenomena.

• Development of scalable and high-speed methods of linear and surface processing of materials to increase equipment performance.

• Creating open-architecture controllers and reconfigurable modules for AP installations.

• Implementation of unique features of AP in the production of epitaxial metal structures, the production of parts consisting of several materials and gradient materials.

• The development of a methodology to determine why some materials can be processed by AP methods, and some - not.

• Development of tools for the poatomic additive production of structures and devices and for the design of nanofabrication.

• Development of sustainable ("green") materials, including biodegradable, recyclable and reusable.

For 2016, existing industrial computer-aided design (CAD) systems are not well suited for modeling complex parts (e.g. lattices or cells) containing thousands of different shapes and/or gradient materials. In these cases, due to the peculiarities of the parameterization technologies used, CAD, as a rule, work slowly, occupying hundreds of megabytes or even gigabytes of RAM. This significantly limits the use of existing CAD for modeling composite, gradient and biological materials; therefore, it is necessary to develop CAD with an eye to solving such problems. Moreover, for optimal use in AS tasks, computer-aided design systems must be able to transform the requirements for the mechanical properties of the product, in particular the geometry and/or distribution of materials - a task that requires the integration of process-structure-properties relationships into computer-aided design, design and production (CAD/CAE/CAM) systems. This in turn requires the development of appropriate computational methods for multilevel modeling, reverse engineering, and optimization.

Another area of development is the integration of automated inspection methods into CAD/CAE/CAM systems, which can help in analyzing products in situ directly during manufacture, provided that the corresponding sensors can be installed in the work area of ​ ​ the AP installation. Quantitative comparison of the nominal design characteristics of the product (geometry and composition of the material) with the real ones directly during the manufacturing process can open up additional opportunities for creating control feedback.

One of the most significant areas of research is due to the need to achieve a more complete and fundamental understanding of the physical foundations of each AP process. In particular, one of the key tasks is a deeper understanding of the details of the interaction of various energy sources with materials.

It is necessary to pay closer attention to mixed-type AS systems. Such systems can open up new processing possibilities, including the use of multiple additive processes, combining layer-by-layer technologies with others, combining additive and subtracting production, integrating product elements using automated component insertion. An example of a mixed system of this kind is a set of additive technologies capable of creating 3D structural materials with electronic components placed by embedding and direct recording, which, together with the automated implementation of pre-manufactured components, allows the manufacture of a fully integrated electromechanical product as an integral system.

Materials

This is an integral part of AP technologies. In 2016, these technologies are capable of processing a wide range of homogeneous and heterogeneous materials. A key objective in the field of material creation and processing is to improve quality, process stability, reproducibility and reliability for a variety of materials while maintaining a low cost of material, installation, manufacturing process and finishing. Conventional production as a whole reliably ensures the reproducibility of the structure and properties of materials. The AS processes are more complex, since in order to obtain an acceptable product quality, the installation parameters must be set individually, and in some cases the material structure, properties and performance not only differ from installation to installation, but even depend on the location inside one installation.

The unique method of processing in the AP has special requirements for metal and ceramic powders. For example, an important condition for the use of powder in AP technologies is its fluidity, since the processing is based on the distribution of powder on the surface (LS/LM processes) or the supply of powder (LMD processes, DMD). To meet the requirements of AP applications, further study of the chemical and physical properties, methods of preparation and methods of describing the characteristics of powder materials is necessary. The expansion of the range of materials suitable for additive production will require the study of multi-element systems and forms, including alloyed/mixed/composite powders based on iron, nickel, titanium, aluminum, copper and magnesium.

Skoltech employees have developed a technology for 3D printing of products from composites (in particular, from carbon fiber), which allows obtaining samples of composite material that exceed world analogues in their mechanical characteristics. Currently, there are a very limited number of industrial alloys suitable for use in AP technologies. The most intensively studied alloy of titanium, aluminum and vanadium Ti-6Al-4V, which has unique chemical and mechanical properties, as well as well-documented biocompatibility; this alloy has found wide application in the aerospace industry and medicine. For a wide range of materials applicable in the AP, it is necessary to perform large-scale studies to establish the "process - structure - properties" ratios. When a sufficient amount of information is accumulated, it will be possible to form a database of physical and chemical processes occurring in materials, which will help simplify the AP of a wide range of materials, make it more accurate and reliable.

Until 2016, the main activity in the field of AS was focused on plastic and metal products. However, the AP technology is also attractive for the manufacture of ceramic parts. The widespread industrial use of high-quality ceramic materials is closely related to the near-target availability of product shape technologies, since ceramic machining is a time-consuming and expensive process that typically requires the use of diamond tools. In many cases, machining accounts for up to 80% of all production costs, which can serve as a good incentive for the manufacture of ceramic parts by AP methods. 3D printing with direct application of fine ceramic (zirconia, titania, barium titanate, lead zirconate titanate) suspensions through an injection nozzle was successfully used in research laboratories to manufacture both miniature details of complex shape and structured thin film coatings (without the use of masks and etching). On an industrial scale, the AP process is successfully used in the manufacture of sand casting molds in the production and oil and gas industries. This uses inkjet powder printing technologies, such as the process implemented in the ExOne AP system. In this case, if the part fails, you can quickly print the mold on a 3D printer, transfer it to the foundry for the manufacture of casting, quickly obtain the part and install it in place. The success of such production "just in time," implemented thanks to AP technologies, is due to high financial losses from downtime of the well. An important area of ​ ​ research is the spread of AP technologies to accurate casting, which requires the reproduction of finer details and better quality of molds and rods than casting into sand molds.

Turbine from cermet composite materials with metal matrix AP technologies are also of active interest from the point of view of manufacturing products from composite materials. As part of defense research, a study was undertaken on the applicability of AP technologies for the production of materials with multi-level hierarchical functionality on nano- and micro-scales. For example, scientists and engineers from the Laboratory of Military Research USA , together with the University of Wisconsin - Madison, developed a technology for creating a three-dimensional polymer composite material using an AP process in an electric field. Another important area of ​ ​ research is related to the use of AP technologies for the manufacture of metal ceramic composite materials with a metal matrix (MMC - metal-matrix composite). Examples include the tungsten carbide composite (Co-WC MMC), which was processed by both the LS process and the LMD process. The use of AP processes for the production of products from composite materials with a ceramic matrix (CMC - ceramic-matrix composite) is also an area of ​ ​ active research. Thus, several groups are studying the possibility of making parts from intermetallic/ceramic composites to obtain an article shape close to the desired one by infiltrating the material into the porous structure of blanks made by 3D printing.

While the main efforts are focused on the development of processes and materials, research work in the field of AP implementation remains very limited. Many published works draw on simulated rather than real-world examples. The regulatory framework for the implementation of the AP, which could be used by persons responsible for decision-making in implementing organizations, still needs to be worked out.

Modern education in the field of design does not meet the requirements of AP technologies. Current designers can undergo retraining, but as part of technical training and training in college and university programs, significant efforts must be made to ensure that the next generation of engineers and researchers are trained in the use of additive manufacturing technologies. To train the next generation of personnel in the field of AP, it is necessary to develop high-level technical courses. Within the framework of these courses, special attention should be paid to the scientific foundations of AP technologies and train engineers to develop better analysis methods, control schemes and software tools for AP.

Additive manufacturing in the world

2023

Created the technology of 3D printing complex objects from different materials at the same time

On November 15, 2023, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Swiss Higher Technical School of Zurich and Inkbit announced the development of a new technology that allows 3D printing of complex objects from different materials at the same time. It is expected that the proposed method will be in demand, among other things, when creating robotic structures with solid and elastic components.

It is noted that hybrid structures consisting of soft and rigid elements can be created using 3D inkjet printing systems. When working with multiple materials, arrays of thousands of nozzles are used to apply tiny droplets of resin, which are then smoothed by a scraper or roller and solidified under the influence of ultraviolet light. But the smoothing process can result in smears of slowly hardening resins, limiting the types of materials that can be used in multi-component 3D printing. The new technology solves the problem.

Using 3D inkjet printing systems, hybrid designs consisting of soft and rigid elements can be created

The created complex does not require the use of a scraper or roller. Instead, a machine vision system consisting of four high frame frequency cameras and two lasers is used. The device continuously scans the surface of the printed object and detects any drawbacks of each layer immediately after it is applied. When forming the next layer, the mode of operation of the nozzles is optimized in such a way as to compensate for the identified shortcomings. As a result, a smooth transition between layers is created.

Since mechanical tools for smoothing the resin are not required in this case, this non-contact system can work with slowly hardening materials. The researchers used the new printer to create sophisticated robotic designs that combine soft and rigid elements. For example, they made a fully 3D-printed robotic grip in the shape of a human hand, controlled by a set of reinforced but flexible tendons.^[5]

A new type of laser 3D printing has been developed - the creation of metal structures with strength like after a forge hammer

On October 30, 2023, British researchers from the University of Cambridge announced the development of a new 3D printing technology that allows you to create metal products with strength like after a blacksmith hammer. It is assumed that the proposed method will help reduce the cost of 3D printing with metal, which, in turn, will increase the stability of the metal processing industry. Read more here.

2020: Westinghouse Electric equips nuclear reactor with 3D printed part

On May 6, 2020, Westinghouse Electric announced that it had used a 3D printed component of a nuclear reactor - a plug of a fuel assembly loaded into the reactor of the first unit of the Byron nuclear power plant in Illinois. Read more here.

Notes