On Design for Additive Manufacturing: Review of Challenges and Opportunities utilising Visualisation Technologies

Design for additive manufacturing poses new challenges and opportunities for manufacturers to produce highly customised parts while reducing cost, production time and improving quality. Manufacturing constraints of conventional manufacturing methods, such as geometric complexity limitations and workpiece handling, have shaped the landscape of computer-aided design tools, which are therefore not suitably adapted to design for additive manufacturing. Furthermore, computer-aided design tools require a high level of training to produce appropriate models. Augmented reality and feedback technologies pose an interesting opportunity for design for additive manufacturing, whereby the interaction with 3D models in an augmented or virtual design space can provide intuitive feedback to engineers and designers, providing fast validation of designs, parametric modelling and opportunities for training and use in both professional and amateur designer communities. This paper will explore and review the opportunities this exciting new technology provides.