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SUPPORT-FREE METAL ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING: A STRUCTURED REVIEW ON THE STATE OF THE ART IN ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2021

Sebastian Weber ,
Joaquin Montero ,
Matthias Bleckmann  and
Kristin Paetzold
Sebastian Weber*
Affiliation:
University of the Bundeswehr Munich; Bundeswehr Research Institute for Materials, Fuels and Lubricants (WIWeB)
Joaquin Montero
Affiliation:
University of the Bundeswehr Munich; Bundeswehr Research Institute for Materials, Fuels and Lubricants (WIWeB)
Matthias Bleckmann
Affiliation:
Bundeswehr Research Institute for Materials, Fuels and Lubricants (WIWeB)
Kristin Paetzold
Affiliation:
University of the Bundeswehr Munich;
*
Weber, Sebastian, Bundeswehr University Munich, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Germany, [email protected]

Abstract

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Especially in the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) technology for metals, current manufacturing systems require the use of support structure to withstand recoater forces and lower thermal induced stresses. These support structures set limitations on the design freedom and affect the surface quality, part cost and lead-time in an undesirable manner. Complex parts, which were not possible with conventional manufacturing methods, can be produced without these limitations. While some companies claim to print parts with horizontal overhangs without the use of support structure, academic research seems to deal with these limitations by defining design guidelines rather than eliminating them. In order to highlight the discrepancies between academia and industry, a structured review is presented. As result, severe differences in knowledge were discovered, which might emerge from the use of unconstrained cutting-edge systems in industry. Eventually support-free L-PBF is not yet fully developed, but the use of support structure can be drastically reduced by optimizing the build process.

Keywords

3D printingAdditive ManufacturingDesign for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Type
Article
Information
Proceedings of the Design Society , Volume 1: ICED21 , August 2021 , pp. 2811 - 2820
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BYCreative Common License - NCCreative Common License - ND
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is unaltered and is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use or in order to create a derivative work.
Copyright
The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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