Finding the AM sweetspot
The real value in AM today comes from understanding what should be printed, and what should not. Whether the choice is motivated by functional improvements, efficiency, or individual customization, the decision should be part of a holistic process.
Even if the number of AM components in an application is small, designers should consider whether those components create other opportunities overall – such as reducing assembly steps, allowing substitution of lighter materials or revolutionary designs, providing more customer options.
Getting it right – optimizing the design, identifying the potential gains, and selecting the appropriate raw materials – calls for unbiased expertise and deep metallurgic and material knowledge – as well as post processing expertise.
Sandvik help you identify which components are both suitable and profitable to print. Since we are also the leading experts on subtractive manufacturing, such as metal cutting, we are equally expert at telling you when not to use additive manufacturing.
THE AM CHECKLIST
Here is our checklist for additive manufacturing. If a component meets any of the criteria below it is likely to be a good candidate for printing.
- Complex shape
- Expensive material
- Low weight is essential
- Revolutionary design
- Individual variations (tailored)
- Spare-part (to reduce lead-times, inventories and Net Working Capital
- Potential to merge sub-parts into one component
- A need to reduce assembly time/increase productivity
- Smaller series