Marc is from Renishaw PLC

3D printing is a disruptive technology in advanced manufacturing.

Subtractive manufacturing = traditional manufacturing – issues – long lead times, high wastage, complex process, expensive tooling, high capital cost, component complexity is limited.

Additive manufacturing = 3D printing – benefits – no waste, one stage process, no tooling, low capital investment, little limit on component complexity, component weight is minimised.

3D printing works best for small bespoke components (eg dentistry); complex geometries; hidden internal features…

All manufacturing needs to consider its environmental impact. CO2 impact is really driven by the weight of components – this is where 3D printing can make a huge difference.

Eg being shared of a custom hip replacement made through 3D printing.

An exciting area is in hybrid manufacturing – combining additive and subtractive manufacturing.

We’ll know when additive manufacturing has arrived as it will just be called manufacturing!