Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a class of disruptive technology that has received significant attention in recent years in both the popular press and the manufacturing industry. This course will cover a comprehensive understanding of various AM technologies and their applications. The course includes technically rich lectures encompassing: processing fundamentals, practical considerations such as material properties and design, cost and value analysis, and industrial applications of different AM technologies including laser selective melting, laser engineered net shaping, direct ink writing, projection stereolithography, wire-feed additive manufacturing, and fused deposition modeling. Hands-on lab activities involving both research and industrial-grade 3D printers for polymers and metals will be included. Particular emphasis will be placed on AM technologies for advanced metals and composites, and related materials design principles. Recent implementations of AM, such as those in the aerospace and health care industries, will be presented throughout the class as study cases. Popular press articles and technical papers on AM will be reviewed and discussed.