The New Era of Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is transforming manufacturing. The process, which involves adding layer-upon-layer of material, is used to fabricate a wide range of objects, including aircraft parts, dental restorations, medical implants, automobiles, jewelry and possibly soon even human tissue.
Additive manufacturing can increase flexibility, reduce costs, and improve product quality. Without the need to weld or attach individual components together there are no weak spots that can be compromised or stressed, reducing the possibility of defects. Designers can make changes with a click of the mouse using CAD software, supporting rapid prototyping, while enabling designs to be verified prior to manufacturing, resulting in fewer production errors. Material costs and waste can be reduced by as much as 90 percent since layers of material are added to create a product instead of cutting away from a larger piece.