Additive manufacturing technology includes computer-aided design technology, material processing and forming technology. At the same time, digital model files need to be used as the basis for technology application, and then special metal, non-metal or medical biological materials are stacked layer by layer in the form of melting, collection, extrusion, spraying, light curing, etc. with the help of numerical control system and software, so as to produce actual articles. This technology can also be called 3D printing technology. Compared with the traditional processing mode, additive manufacturing technology mainly manufactures goods in the form of accumulated materials, showing significant advantages in the manufacturing of complex structural parts.
In the process of applying additive manufacturing technology, traditional fixtures, cutting tools and multiple processes are not required. Only one equipment is needed to quickly and accurately manufacture various parts with complex shapes, and the “manufacturing freedom” of parts can be basically realized. It can not only greatly reduce the forming difficulty of complex parts, but also greatly reduce the processing procedures of parts and significantly shorten the processing cycle. In fact, the more complex the structure of parts, the more significant the advantages of additive manufacturing technology.
1. High product accuracy
Because additive manufacturing technology requires powder particle accumulation and bonding to form articles, its forming precision is high. If the requirements for product surface finish are high, additive manufacturing technology is suitable for production.
2. Fast forming speed
By using additive manufacturing technology, the three-dimensional model in the computer can be directly printed into solid parts or models without manufacturing molds. Therefore, there are fewer links in the production and manufacturing work, which can shorten the product production cycle and improve the production efficiency [3]. Moreover, the forming time of the 3D model is only a few hours, and the relevant R & D personnel and designers can make the contents in the drawing appear as solid models in a relatively short time.
3. Material saving
By using the additive manufacturing technology, the real object can be printed directly without the operation of removing leftover materials, which can effectively improve the material utilization rate. For example, in the application of cold phenolic resin printer, the sand not formed during printing can be reused after passing through the screening machine.
4. Convenient manufacturing
When applying additive manufacturing technology, there is no need to select a fixed production workshop or centralized production time. Instead, a more convenient distributed production mode can be adopted, and the corresponding equipment of additive manufacturing technology can be moved conveniently. Some equipment can also be used to make parts larger than their own volume.
