Abstract
Additive manufacturing (AM) is identified to cost-effectively lower manufacturing inputs and outputs in small batch production, widely employed in customized and high-value manufacturing chains, such as aerospace and medical component manufacturing. Additive manufacturing has the potential to significantly lower life cycle energy demands of products and their CO 2 emissions. Moreover, AM holds promise of overturning many aspects of the economics of manufacturing, as it pays no heed to unit labour costs or traditional economies of scale. Advances in AM technology are yielding faster production times and enabling objects to be printed in multiple combinations of materials, colours and surface finishes. A significant portion of these advances lie on the development of advanced materials for AM processes, which is undeniably one of the main driving forces of the transition from Rapid Prototyping to the Direct Digital Manufacturing era. Industries are nowadays at the inflection point for AM technologies, which have moved from a much-hyped but largely unproven manufacturing processes, to a mature technological solution, with numerous competitive advantages and the ability to produce real, innovative, complex and robust products.
Highlights
Additive manufacturing (AM) was introduced around the mid 80s and according to the prevailing view is currently at the starting point of triggering a new industrial revolution
AM has provided a pathway for low cost and flexible manufacturing of personalized components and one-off parts; such techniques are less ubiquitous at the nanoscale [18], where nanofabrication is dominated by lithography tools that are of rather high cost for small- and medium-sized enterprises
Industrial AM still faces many challenges, it is a matter of time until AM processes replace traditional manufacturing methods in small batch production, widely employed in customized and high-value manufacturing chains, such as aerospace and medical component manufacturing
Summary
Additive manufacturing (AM) was introduced around the mid 80s and according to the prevailing view is currently at the starting point of triggering a new industrial revolution. The production and tailoring of advanced composites attracts economic and environmental interests and efforts are made on the manipulation and processing of these materials in order to enhance their performance Among their competitive advantages are their ability to form light-weight structures with enhanced mechanical properties, along with a variety of integrated “smart properties”, which translate into their capacity to be selfcleaning, self-healing, with memory, and have tailored anticorrosion and wear resistance properties. AM has provided a pathway for low cost and flexible manufacturing of personalized components and one-off parts; such techniques are less ubiquitous at the nanoscale [18], where nanofabrication is dominated by lithography tools that are of rather high cost for small- and medium-sized enterprises Adding nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), nanowires (NWs), and quantum dots (QDs) to host matrices such as polymers, metals, and ceramics via AM has the potential to enable greater capabilities in (nano)composites manufacturing. These voids can have a significant impact on crack formation and overall performance of 3D printed nanocomposites, nanoparticle homogeneity in host matrices and tailored processing profiles are vital prerequisites for realizing their full potential
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
