By Alan Kendrick, Nerac Analyst,
Originally published December, 2013
Additive manufacturing (AM), also referred to as 3D Printing, is a term used to describe the fabrication of three dimensional objects from raw materials using an additive process wherein successive layers of materials are built up to create the product. Additive manufacturing technologies may be applied throughout the product life cycle. They are used for rapid prototyping of components in R&D and pre-production fabrication processes, tooling development and in full scale production operations using rapid manufacturing.
The use of AM technologies to produce plastic and metal components is expanding rapidly. There are an estimated 30,000 plastic and 500 metal AM machines currently in service, and sales of AM metal machines are expected to see double digit growth over the next five years. The potential for significant cost savings in manufacturing and tooling and reduction in time to market will continue to fuel the interest in AM.
Related Posts
- 41Issue: A Lead Development Engineer at a water treatment company needed assistance on whether or not to initiate internal R&D on a potentially emerging application of UV LED technology. Analyst Approach: Nerac analysts reviewed patented technologies, identified key industrial and academic players who are developing this new LED technology, and highlighted the key issues/barriers for…
- 39By Kevin Closson, Nerac Analyst, Originally published April, 2014 Innovation is a topic fraught with controversy and conflicting viewpoints. Is innovation slowing? Is it as strong as ever? Is it accelerating? Even the terms and their meanings are the subject of debate. What does “open innovation” really mean? For that matter, what does “innovation” mean?…
- 38Originally Published: October 24th, 2014 Based upon several years of effort on part of Made in Space, Inc. the United States has officially entered the world (or ‘outer’ world) of 3D printing in space, on Sunday September 21, 2014 aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The system is designed specifically to work in outer space’s…