Additive manufacturing in product design education: out with the old and in with the new?
Year: 2013
Editor: John Lawlor, Ger Reilly, Robert Simpson, Michael Ring, Ahmed Kovacevic, Mark McGrath, William Ion, David Tormey, Erik Bohemia, Chris McMahon, Brian Parkinson
Author: Ford, Peter; Dean, Lionel
Series: E&PDE
Institution: De Montfort University, United Kingdom
Section: Rapid Prototyping
Page(s): 611-616
ISBN: 978-1-904670-42-1
Abstract
manufacturing of products; enabling greater design freedom, making the manufacture of what was impossible possible, reducing development time, accelerating time to market. Could it be however, that the wonder of âgrowingâ products direct from a vat of liquid resin or tub of powder has clouded our judgement in regard to AM and its place in Product Design curriculum?
Using a number of commercially orientated case studies this paper briefly attempts to put additive technologies into context. It will explore where AM fits in terms of production volume and the development of high or low value products. The paper will attempt to identify where, at this moment in time, conventional manufacturing technologies still have to be taught in order to provide Product Design graduates with appropriate knowledge for todayâs manufacturing environments. In addition the paper will attempt to identify methods to reconcile the teaching of both AM and conventional manufacturing technologies and put into context opportunities for tool-less manufacturing for design graduates.
Keywords: Additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, product design education