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ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING: Additive value.

Article Excerpt
Phil Reeves, Managing Director of Econolyst, reviews the 4th International Additive Manufacturing Conference.

In these uncertain economic times, looking at new and emerging manufacturing technologies may not be high on the business agenda. However, when a technology offers the opportunity to reduce new product development risk and manufacturing cost, whilst minimising waste streams and maximise innovative design, it can pay dividends to keep abreast of the latest developments. Additive Manufacturing (AM) - aka Rapid Manufacturing - enables users to bring new products to market quicker and more sustainably, with geometric complexities almost unimaginable only a few years ago.

AM encompasses a group of technologies which build parts layer-by-layer directly from 3D CAD data without the need for mould tooling, jigs, fixtures or cutting tools. Parts are literally 'printed' in 3- dimensions from a variety of materials including polymers, ceramics and metals. Its strategic importance drew over 150 delegates and speakers from nineteen countries to Loughborough University in July to attend the 4th International Conference on Additive Manufacturing. It featured eighteen presentations from leading additive layer manufacturing technology users, developers and academic researchers. The conference was enhanced by an AM technology vendors' exhibition running in parallel, which was supported by leading AM machine tool companies and material suppliers.

Smart metallic structures by ultrasonic consolidation

The overall objective of the conference is to provide a holistic perspective on AM, from applications and design tools, through to management implications...

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