Plastics News Europe - September 2019 - 24

additive manufacturing

that can design AM parts that translate through the additive process to
the successful production of end
parts is a serious issue. It has developed because for years AM was used
as a prototyping technology, and it is
only in recent years with the move to
the use of AM as a production technology that DfAM has become a concern. DfAM demands a whole different approach," explained Tovit Neizer,
VP Business Development at Nanofabrica. "A primary design consideration with AM comes with the support
structures that are needed for many

Cost-effective manufacture of precision micro parts

additive processes - what kind, and
where these are placed," Neizer added.
And while most AM software automatically generates support structures, developing the software to do
this requires expertise and experience
to create the requisite algorithms to
produce them, as different AM technologies and platforms require different support structures.
Two other major benefits of AM
are part consolidation and topology
optimisation, both of which contribute to producing lighter and more
functional parts. Traditionally, complex components must be produced
in various parts to make manufacturing possible, and these parts must
subsequently be assembled. Assembly is especially problematic, complex,
and expensive when looking at micro
applications.
AM opens up new opportunities
for manufacturers, as it allows multiple part assemblies to be consolidated
into a single part - eliminating time
and costs in the process of producing
a more functional result. The micro
AM platform developed by Nanofabrica offers the software tools needed to
allow micro manufacturers for the first
time to benefit from the design capabilities presented by the use of AM.

DfAM expertise also includes an
understanding of topology optimisation, said Eyal Shelef, Nanofabrica
CTO. Many structural components
are designed with more material
(and thus more weight) than they require. This, in turn, can mean increased and unnecessary loads on
moving parts and compromised energy efficiency during use. Topology
optimisation for AM parts allows designers to specify loads. When designing parts for AM, a designer can
take a traditionally shaped part, simulate where the loads will run
through that part and remove the
superfluous material, leaving only
the load paths remaining. This not
only yields weight savings, but it also
results in the design and production
of parts with highly efficient
strength-to-weight ratios.
AM, in short, requires product designers to think differently from what
they are used to. Traditional design
constraints no longer apply, and complexity no longer comes as a premium. DfAM, - designing within the
parameters of the AM process - can
invariably lead to more efficient parts,
improved strength and durability,
while also reducing costs and improving safety.

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Plastics News Europe - September 2019

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