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| What is Rapid Manufacturing? |
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Rapid Manufacturing (RM), also referred to as direct digital manufacturing (DDM), is the production of end-use parts using additive fabrication processes. Recent advances in AF technologies and materials allow the manufacture of parts for a variety of production applications.
Among them are: custom products, replacement parts, special edition products, short-run production and series manufacturing. Historically, most RM applications have been based on the manipulation of polymeric materials, though metals for RM have grown in significance in recent years. This is mainly because of a new generation of metallic powder-based systems that are able to process more metal materials such as stainless steel, titanium and cobalt–chrome. Rapid manufacturing has enormous potential. Many see it as one of the most important emerging approaches that will drive the future manufacturing economy. Because RM uses layer-wise manufacturing, traditional design for manufacture (DFM) principles no longer need apply. RM parts can be manufactured with undercuts and with highly complex internal and re-entrant features—complexities that are unheard of in conventional manufacturing. RM also allows for significant part consolidation, which reduces tooling, manufacturing, inventory, assembly, maintenance and inspection costs. The adoption of RM can lead to many business benefits. Among them is the reduction or elimination of fixed assets such as tooling and assembly aids, which reduces capital investment. RM also has the potential to greatly reduce or eliminate many stages of the traditional supply chain, reducing leadtimes, inventory, and supply chain transaction and logistics.
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