Additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing involves the manufacture of a three-dimensional prototype or product layer by layer. This new technology enables flexible new ways of solving problems, manufacturing innovative components and making parts.
The benefits of additive manufacturing include unique customisation, easily applying changes to production and performing quick, inexpensive testing during construction of prototypes (no special tools are required). Additive manufacturing makes it possible to produce new, complex designs and reduce stages of production, which often contributes to shorter lead times, better product characteristics, less waste and lower costs.
One of the basic concepts within flexible manufacturing is 3D printing, whereby a printer generates three dimensional objects.