Additive manufacturing encompasses processes like 3D printing where material is deposited, cured, or fused in successive layers to create a physical object. Unlike subtractive methods that machine away waste from a solid block, this approach only uses the material needed for the final geometry. It allows engineers to produce complex internal structures, consolidate multiple parts into one, and rapidly prototype new designs without expensive tooling.
We're shifting the complex bracket to AM since the machining costs on a five-axis mill were destroying our margins.
While often used interchangeably with 3D printing, AM is the preferred industrial term when discussing scale production, metal powder bed fusion, and end-use parts.
Also heard as
- additive manufacturing
- 3D printing
Related terms
3D print
To manufacture a physical part by depositing material layer by layer from a digital model.
3D printer
A machine that builds solid objects layer by layer from a digital file.
FDM
Fused deposition modeling is an additive manufacturing process that builds parts by extruding melted plastic.
CAD/CAM
Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing software used to design parts and generate machining instructions.