Additive manufacturing refers to the process of obtaining products by adding material layer by layer, unlike traditional manufacturing methods. This production method is particularly advantageous for complex structures and customized parts. The additive manufacturing process consists of several key stages, and each stage determines the performance and quality of the final product.
The first step in additive manufacturing is to design the part to be produced. In the design phase, requirements such as the dimensions, geometry and functions of the product are determined. The designs are optimized for the manufacturing process and detailed to reduce material consumption and increase structural durability. Design for Additive Manufacturing (DFAM) increases the efficiency of this process. With the DFAM approach, parts with geometries too complex to be produced by conventional manufacturing methods can be designed. After optimization of the design, simulations are used to test whether the product is suitable for production.
After the design phase is completed, preliminary preparations are made before proceeding to the production process. First, the ways and methods to be followed during production are determined. At this stage, the process parameters required for the printing process are defined. Process parameters include details such as the amount of material to be used during printing, printing speed and energy density. In addition, by preparing the printing data, it is determined which steps the printing machine will follow during the production process. Metal, plastic or ceramic powders are usually used in the additive manufacturing process. After the powder materials are loaded into the printing machine for production, the settings of the machine are checked and made ready for production before production starts.
The most important step in the additive manufacturing process is production. In the production phase, design data is transformed into a physical product. This process takes place by adding material layer by layer. One of the biggest advantages of additive manufacturing is that parts can be produced in one go and with minimal material loss. Complex parts that are difficult to produce with traditional methods can be produced more easily and quickly with additive manufacturing. Different techniques can be applied depending on the type of material used during production. For example, metal parts can be produced by laser sintering, while filament printing can be used for plastic parts. Throughout this stage, quality control processes are carried out regularly to minimize errors.
Once production is complete, various post-processing operations are carried out to make the part suitable for final use. These include steps to improve the surface quality and mechanical properties of the part. First, the dust materials used during production are removed. Removing dust, especially on metal parts, is critical to improve part quality.
Heat treatment is then applied to improve the durability of the part. This process increases the mechanical strength of the part by eliminating stresses within the material. After heat treatment, the support structures used during production are cleaned. These structures, which ensure that the part remains stable during the additive manufacturing process, are removed from the part at the end of production and undergo a detailed cleaning process.
Surface refinement processes are carried out to ensure the appearance and smoothness of the part. In some cases, machining can also be applied to achieve more precise tolerances. Finally, a quality control step ensures that the part meets all criteria.