economic analysis of additive manufacturing for final products

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Garrett White Daniel Lynskey provide can greatly reduce this inherent expense, once again leading to a lower overall cost of production. UTILIZING PRODUCT REDESIGN IN CREATING PRODUCTS One of the most innovative benefits of additive manufacturing is its ability to create complex geometric structures without wasting any raw materials. As discussed earlier, one of the major problems with subtractive manufacturing is the need for use of molds, or a billet of excess material. In order to create a structure using traditional manufacturing techniques such as casting or injection molding, the raw materials are formed in a mold and then some of the material must be removed. The need to be able to remove the part from the mold creates a limitation for molding methods. One such limitation is that, “the part must have slightly outward sloping surfaces (called positive draft), as inward sloping surfaces would essentially lock the part to the mold like a dovetail making it impossible to remove” [4]. Molds must also typically allow for mold division lines and excess scrap, which must typically then be buffered out of the final product. Along with this, when product designs change to a more complex and functional shapes, this means the mold or tooling must also change, causing great cost. Traditionally built products also find limitation in complexity of geometries. For example, many parts used in engines require significant use of cooling channels. Using traditional methods, “cooling channels could only be drilled through molds in few key places and only in straight lines”; creating corners with inefficient fluid flow [4]. Traditional methods are sub-par in creating any sort of internal geometry, because of the need to eventually remove molding pieces or tooling holds. These limitations can seemingly be eliminated by the freeform abilities of AM technologies, building each part from the bottom up. Producing complex geometries The goals of design for additive manufacturing can be described as to “maximize product performance through the synthesis of shapes, sizes, hierarchical structures, and material compositions, subject to the capabilities of AM technologies.” [9] There are a few ways in which AM could help to reach these goals. Firstly, with AM “it is possible to design part with unlimited complexity, allowing twisted and contorted shapes, blind holes and screw, and very high strength-to-weight ratio” [9]. As mentioned above, traditional methods are often limited by straight line drilling, which results in inefficient cooling channels. Since AM methods build from bottom up, optimized free-form internal channels and structures can be produced. Ideally shaped cooling channels can be integrated into design for higher product performance. Also, with AM it is possible to combine separate parts into an integrated assembly, which minimizes the part count while making assembly simpler and faster. This idea involves the integration of pumps, fluid channels, pistons, and perhaps even electronic pieces, directly into the core of the part, without the need to manually assemble the part. One other application of AM abilities to create very precise and free form structures can be shown with a simple example. “When complex organic structures such as wood or bone are examined it is striking how structural material is only used where it is needed (i.e. where there is a stressor)” [4]. There is internal empty space, although the integrity of the entire piece remains, as it still functions as a whole. Although this idea could never be realized by traditional techniques, it can be applied to the redesign of AM parts, with the use of internal lattice structures. Commonly used in the design of bridges, lattice structures involve geometric patterns, such as hexagonal (or honey-comb) structures, crossing structures, or triangular structures, that provide support only in areas that the product is under stress. These internal lattices can potentially greatly reduce the amount of material consumed, while upholding or even improving the strength of the structure as a whole. Lightweighting of parts Product lightweighting is the idea of manufacturing a product by using as little raw material as possible, but still maintaining the structural integrity of that product. As stated before, AM can create highly complex geometric structures, such as internal lattices, that can reduce the amount of consumed material. By applying this technique manufacturers can save a large amount of material used, extending the amount of available resources [12]. Since there is less material being used, it takes less time to process the material thus resulting in faster build times. A higher throughput is one benefit of this technique [12]. Also, if these lightweight parts are used in automobiles or aircraft, one can notice a drastic reduction in fuel consumption. A lighter vehicle requires less fuel, which is a focus of most car and aerospace manufacturers today. Fuel efficiency is an important aspect in sustainability. A fuel-efficient vehicle is not only good for the environment, but it will also save the consumer money, and help to preserve our fuel sources for as long as possible. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING AS A SUSTAINABLE PROCESS Sustainability is an extremely important topic in modern engineering ethics. It is a broad topic, but can basically be described as getting as much use out of as little resources as possible. It is said that in order to achieve truly sustainable product design, the manufacturing process must consider economics, environmental awareness, and social sustainability. An ideal product is one that involves all three of these areas of sustainability [3]. With the help of AM, such a product can be created. 4
Garrett White Daniel Lynskey Impacts on environmental sustainability One of the main focuses of the sustainable movement today is on the environment. Above all, sustainability focuses on preserving a healthy environment that will allow human life to continue flourishing. Attempting to create such an environment while also developing new technologies involves the reduction of energy consumption, and material consumption. AM machines have the potential to reduce the amount of energy used in the manufacturing process. First of all, as previously mentioned, having a rapid manufacturing machine on site eliminates the need for transportation, therefore greatly reducing the amount of fuel used. Even if the AM machine cannot be located on site, if it is being used to produce light weight products it will be significantly more energy efficient to transport the items because “lighter structures require less energy to move” [12]. The United States Department of Energy, “anticipates that additive processes would be able to save more than 50% energy use compared to today’s ‘subtractive’ manufacturing processes” [13]. It is also stated that typical subtractive methods such as CNC (computer numerical control) milling often find scrap rates as high as 95% when milling from a block of existing material [14]. This number can be significantly reduced by the bottom up approach of AM. The goal of product redesign for AM is to recreate products in the most efficient ways possible. This can be done by utilizing AM abilities to create complex interior structures and reducing the amount of waste in the process. Since, ultimately, less material is used, AM can prove to be very cost effective. Impacts on social sustainability The social dimension of sustainability involves improving the quality of life of humans, through healthrelated advancements, increased consumer satisfaction, and financial improvement. Additive manufacturing poses the ability to make changes to each of these realms. First, in health-related fields, AM shows perhaps even more promise than one would immediately think. Although not discussed at length previously in this paper, AM does possess unique capabilities to produce very high quality devices for human health improvement. In the Bioengineering field, AM is currently being researched as a possible means to create very high quality scaffolds, for skin and organ regeneration. Scaffolding requires very precise structure, which AM can produce unlike any other manufacturing process before. On top of this, AM is also being used for custom-fit prosthetics, because of its ability to create unique products. Along with prosthetics, other medical devices, such as custom-fit hearing aids, orthopedic implants, and dental braces [3]. Beyond medical advances, AM also provides the ability to greatly change customer satisfaction. As previously mentioned, “consumers are becoming increasingly refined in their tastes and desires for new products” [7]. AM processes make mass customization viable, which would obviously greatly impact a customer’s sense of satisfaction. Most consumers typically enjoy individualized products that are geared towards their own desires. Since AM machines require only a 3D digital model of the product to create it, it is even possible for consumers to become their own designers. This is a vast concept that would revolutionize consumer satisfaction. Increased customer satisfaction not only benefits consumers, but also benefits the producers, because of potential increase in sales. Increase in sales is something that all producers are currently striving for, in an attempt to stabilize the American economy. Impacts on economic sustainability Sustainable economics are yet another focus of the sustainability motion, and nearly all other aspects of sustainability can be indirectly connected to economics, as well. The economic dimension of sustainability involves present actions that will allow for future generations to enjoy equal or greater wealth, welfare, and consumption abilities. AM is perhaps most disruptive here, because of its ability to revolutionize manufacturing economics. Each of the topics previously mentioned in this paper discuss some of the economic changes AM brings about. These changes would be effective for the long-run of the manufacturing paradigm we see today. As far as wealth preservation is concerned, AM also shows the ability to greatly change overall cost of production. COST ANALYSIS OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING The previous sections in this paper focus on effects that additive manufacturing of end-usable parts could bring to the economy of an industry. Each of these topics has been related to the production and distribution of parts, but they each also have connection to the actual cost of production. For example, using mass customization techniques in AM production leads to a higher rate of customer satisfaction [7]. Although customer satisfaction does not affect the cost of production of each part, it does lead to more purchases, which obviously leads to more revenue for the producer. This revenue then allows the manufacturer to pay for the costs of production. Next, lightweight parts created with the use of product redesign make an obvious economic impact. In particular application to the aircraft industry, a lower massed part can lead to astronomical differences in fuel consumption, and therefore cost. A consortium based in Germany and consisting of Laser Zentrum Nord (LZN) GmbH, the Institute of Laser and System Technologies (iLAS) of Hamburg University of Technology, and Airbus Operations GmbH, has shown, “Eliminating 100 kg (220 lbs) is said to save an airline $2.5 million annually in fuel costs for short haul flights” [14]. Along with this reduction 5
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