Design for Additive Manufacturing: Tool Review and a Case Study
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applied sciences Article Design for Additive Manufacturing: Tool Review and a Case Study Daniel Moreno Nieto 1,* and Daniel Moreno Sánchez 2 1 Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica y Diseño Industrial, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real, 11510 Cádiz, Spain 2 Departamento de Ciencia de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica y Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Ciencias, IMEYMAT, Campus Río San Pedro, Universidad de Cádiz, PuertoReal, 11510 Cádiz, Spain; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +34-676923332 Abstract: This paper aims to collect in a structured manner different computer-aided engineering (CAE) tools especially developed for additive manufacturing (AM) that maximize the capabilities of this technology regarding product development. The flexibility of the AM process allows the manu- facture of highly complex shapes that are not possible to produce by any other existing technology. This fact enables the use of some existing design tools like topology optimization that has already existed for decades and is used in limited cases, together with other novel developments like lattice design tools. These two technologies or design approaches demand a highly flexible manufacturing system to be applied and could not be used before, due to the conventional industrial process limita- tions. In this paper, these technologies will be described and combined together with other generic or specific design tools, introducing the study case of an additive manufactured mechanical design of a bicycle stem. Citation: Moreno Nieto, D.; Moreno Keywords: additive manufacturing; industrial design; fused deposition modeling; parametric design; Sánchez, D. Design for Additive industrial design; CAD computer aided design; topology optimization; lattice design Manufacturing: Tool Review and a Case Study. Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 1571. https://doi.org/10.3390/app 11041571 1. Introduction Additive manufacturing (AM) is a set of manufacturing processes that consist in Academic Editor: Marco Mandolini the generation of three-dimensional models from digital files, using different equipment and technologies that build objects layer by layer [1–4]. These technologies are reaching Received: 11 January 2021 the age of maturity due to their effective incorporation in different industries, besides Accepted: 3 February 2021 the pioneering aerospace and automotive industries, such as consumer products. There Published: 9 February 2021 are many advantages that additive manufacturing technologies offer to designers and engineers for the development of new parts and products. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral Advantages, the freedom of constructed geometries, which allows the elaboration of with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- complex shapes that would not be possible by other technologies [5], the reduction of parts iations. in the assemblies, by simplifying them or allowing the printing of the assembled parts [6–8], the capability of locating the necessary properties in specific areas or developing variable properties in the geometries of the parts and the possibility of manufacturing optimized structures that modify their properties according to the scale to which they refer, from the micro to the macro scale [9,10], are the most remarkable. Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Through these advantages, additive manufacturing in the current state of development Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. is increasingly finding its place in industry, while understanding that it is not a substitute This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and technology, but rather complementary to current production technologies, in cases where conditions of the Creative Commons some of the characteristics mentioned above are required. That is, it will take its place within Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// the production processes and coexisting technologies, while having special importance in creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ parts with highly complex geometries, in small series and in customized products. 4.0/). Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 1571. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041571 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 13 Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 1571 2 of 12 importance in parts with highly complex geometries, in small series and in customized products. The limitations of these processes have also been identified: the geometric character- isticsThe (tolerances limitations in the of thesedefinition processes of wall have thicknesses, also been holes, identified: rounding, the geometric cantilevers, characteris- bridges ticsand (tolerancesangles) and in the the anisotropy definition ofof wallthe thicknesses,process that holes,affects rounding, the mechanical cantilevers, properties bridges of andprinted angles) parts and [11,12]. the Those anisotropy inherent of the to the process execution that affectsof the process, the mechanical such as the properties orientation of printedof the part parts or [the11, 12definition]. Those of inherent the supports, to the execution deposition of rates, the process, finishes such or production as the orientation times, ofare the decisive part or for the the definition correct ofdefinition the supports, of the deposition geometries rates, [13–15], finishes as well or production as other factors times, aresuch decisive as scale forlimitations, the correct the definition absence of of spec theific geometries design and [13 simulation–15], as well tools as and other economic factors suchconsiderations. as scale limitations, All these the factors absence are ofrelated specific to design the execution and simulation of the design tools and for economic additive considerations.manufacturing [16,17]. All these factors are related to the execution of the design for additive manufacturingCurrently, [new16,17 design]. prescriptions and standards are appearing, providing the de- signerCurrently, a way to newmitigate design the prescriptionslimitations of and the standardstechnologies are and appearing, increase providingthe functional the designerperformance a way of tothe mitigate final fabricated the limitations parts, ofknown the technologies as design for and additive increase manufacturing the functional performance(DfAM) [18–22]. of theSome final aspects fabricated to be considered parts, known and as that design are directly for additive related manufacturing with the man- (DfAM) [18–22]. Some aspects to be considered and that are directly related with the ufacturing process are the disposition of holes that enable the evacuation of the residual manufacturing process are the disposition of holes that enable the evacuation of the material in the powder bed or liquid resin material or the deposition orientation in fused residual material in the powder bed or liquid resin material or the deposition orientation deposition modeling (FDM), for example. in fused deposition modeling (FDM), for example. In this context, in recent years, there has been an important advance in the field of In this context, in recent years, there has been an important advance in the field specific engineering technologies for additive manufacturing, with the continuous ap- of specific engineering technologies for additive manufacturing, with the continuous pearance of numerous tools that consider the materials and their properties as variables, appearance of numerous tools that consider the materials and their properties as variables, allowing for the prediction of their behavior and thus optimizing designs for manufacture. allowing for the prediction of their behavior and thus optimizing designs for manufacture. Prior to the description of these tools, we will review in a general way the main stages of Prior to the description of these tools, we will review in a general way the main stages of the work process for the design and additive manufacturing of parts. the work process for the design and additive manufacturing of parts. 2. The Additive Manufacturing WorkflowWorkflow The approachapproach toto the the additive additive manufacturing manufacturing processes processes establishes establishes an orderlyan orderly workflow, work- soflow, that so by that relying by relying on different on different tools, processing tools, processing files are files generated are generated for subsequent for subsequent printing andprinting post-processing. and post-processing. There are There five are fundamental five fundamental stages instages the additivein the additive manufacturing manufac- process,turing process, which arewhich listed are below listed andbelow shown and shown in a diagram in a diagram in Figure in1 Figure. 1. Figure 1. Additive manufacturing (AM) workflow. Note: CAD (Computer-Assisted Design); CAE (Computer-Aided- Figure 1. Additive manufacturing (AM) workflow. Note: CAD (Computer-Assisted Design); CAE (Computer-Aided- Engineering). Engineering). (a)(a) Design:Design: For For the the development development of of the the parts parts and and products products that that will will be bemanufactured manufactured by additiveby additive processes, processes, the thefirst first stage stage consists consists of the of thegeneration generation of three-dimensional of three-dimensional de- signsdesigns by bymeans means of ofcomputer-assisted computer-assisted design design tools tools (CAD). (CAD). The The characteristics characteristics of thethe processesprocesses allow allow the generation of complex geometries, however, not all shapesshapes