Additive Manufacturing in the Context of Repeatability and Reliability

Additive manufacturing has long enabled complex and less restrictive design capabilities in the world of modern manufacturing. However, industry applications require extensive analysis into reliability concerns over repeatability that currently prevent the technology from maturing to an adequate, widespread production method. With current research focus expanding on additive manufacturing technologies, a need has developed to ensure repeatability in already established methods. This paper reviews the current certification landscape surrounding additive components as well as similarly variable manufacturing processes as baselines for comparison. Next, concerns in the repeatability of additive manufacturing methods are outlined for both their occurrences and effects. Lastly, methods of verification and current developments in design and verification methodologies are presented with the aim of analyzing potential future developments to aid industry adoption of additive manufacturing.

Automated summary

Additive manufacturing has enabled complex and less restrictive design capabilities in modern manufacturing. However, the lack of repeatability has hindered its widespread adoption as a production method. This paper reviews the current certification landscape and outlines concerns regarding the repeatability of additive manufacturing methods. It also presents methods of verification and current developments in design and verification methodologies to aid industry adoption of additive manufacturing.