Additive Manufacturing: A Transformational Advanced Manufacturing Technology

摘要

Additive manufacturing (AM) is receiving increasing attention around the world. It is also called three-dimensional (3-D) printing, while the military prefers direct digital manufacturing (DDM). The process can be used for metals, polymers, and ceramics, and on emerging applications ranging from medical, aircraft parts, and parts for space vehicles to home furnishings and clothes. An allied small-scale AM area known as Direct Write is used to develop electronic circuitry. AM grew from the early days of rapid prototyping, and as a dynamic field of study, acquired a great deal of related terminology. Recently, the ASTM F-42 Committee formed to standardize AM terminology and develop industry standards. The committee's first standard, ASTM F2792-10, defines AM as "The process of joining materials to make objects from 3-D model data, usually layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing technologies."