Question

Which properties of LASER make it most relevant and useful to Additive Manufacturing? Which aspects of the LASER is not friendly with widespread use of AM? Justify your answer.

Answer 1

In recent years, additive manufacturing, also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, has emerged as an environmentally friendly green manufacturing technology which brings great benefits, such as energy saving, less material consumption, and efficient production. These advantages are attributed to the successive material deposition at designated target areas by delivering the energy on it. In this regard, lasers are the most effective energy source in additive manufacturing since the laser beam can transfer a large amount of energy into micro-scale focal region instantaneously to solidify or cure materials in air, therefore enabling high-precision and high-throughput manufacturing for a wide range of materials.

Laser melting can manufacture parts in standard metals with high density, which can be further processed as any welding part.There is practically no restriction on the geometry to be produced.Reduced capital tied up in stocks, as parts can be printed quickly and easily.Shorter assembly times due to integrated function lead to direct cost savings.

It is still an expensive and slow process. Tolerances and surface finishes are limited, however they can be improved through post-processing.