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Best additive manufacturing practices in 2020

Electronic three dimensional plastic printer during work , 3D printer, 3D printing
In 2019, the additive manufacturing market reached $13 billion. This is an evolution of +21%, compared to 2018, and which already shows a similar trend until 2025. This figure includes the purchase of machinery, materials, but also the development of new methods and processes.  

WHAT EVOLUTIONS IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING THIS YEAR ?
Additive Manufacturing opens a new dimension to the industry. Beyond the easy design, it is also the prospect of producing ever more complex parts while rationalizing material waste. It is therefore at the crossroads between design, processes and material properties that this manufacturing method is being developed at record speed.
Logically enough, the integration of this technology on an industrial scale represents a fairly significant investment in resources that should not be overlooked. In particular, the equipment of independent tools to optimize production efficiency. For example, 3D design, simulation or production monitoring tools can improve the quality of the production of additive manufacturing parts and the effective production of these parts.
However, despite the interconnection of all these actions within the additive manufacturing process, it is possible to observe a whole range of related data that are not managed in the same rationalization effort. For example, what are the different steps and actors involved in the manufacturing process? How to prepare the planning and ensure the follow-up of the project? How to capitalize on feedback on non-conformity? on a printed product? These are all questions that are not thought of before or after the traditional process:
So how can one capitalize on the results, make the link between independent tools and related data?

PUTTING THE ACTORS IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER
Quite easily, it is possible to observe that a certain number of actors are involved in an additive manufacturing process, in all industries combined: from material experts and engineers to the purchasing department, including simulation, production and testing departments.
All these actors are autonomous and yet interconnected. Thus, many questions can appear, and sometimes even several times. The main problem is that information is not decompartmentalized between services. The direct consequence of the manufacturing process: it is only with a lot of time and effort that it is possible to access the knowledge of the Design Office on the choice of a material and to consult the feedback from past projects to calibrate the machines efficiently.

USE OF A TECHNICAL DATABASE

So, if the problem lies in the segmentation of knowledge between different departments, the solution lies in the establishment of a technical management database.

Because in addition, the support of design, material properties, and processes, which are the three pillars of the technology. In addition, the capitalization of related corollary data, such as test and simulation results, the establishment of a defect library or maintenance monitoring, are essential characteristics to be integrated to manage its additive manufacturing process efficiently. This is all the more important in the context of project management because each data influences the quality of the final product.

To learn more about the TEEXMA® methodology on additive manufacturing project management assistance :
TEEXMA® Additive Manufacturing

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