Both traditional and modern manufacturing methods have changed the face of the manufacturing industry over the years. But which method is best for the job at hand? Here's an overview of how the most common manufacturing methods compare.

1. Presented by Monarch Metal
An overview of
Additive, Subtractive,
and Formative
Manufacturing
How Common
Manufacturing
Methods Compare

2. As more and more innovative technologies make their way to the general
public, manufacturers are seeing the face of their industry change by the day.

3. Things like affordable 3D printing, job automation, and predictive maintenance
technology are striking up a New Industrial Revolution that has industry
veterans and novices alike taking notice.

4. But despite all these recent advances, traditional manufacturing processes
are still very effective. And choosing between the old and the new is merely a
matter of considering the pros, cons, and purposes of each process.

5. Let’s take a look at how some of the most commonly used manufacturing processes compare:

6. Additive Manufacturing

7. Additive manufacturing is a process that involves assembling a product layer by layer.

9. Though many think of additive manufacturing as merely 3D printing, there are actually
seven different processes that can be used to bring a complex design to life.

10. These processes are:
Vat Polymerisation, material jetting, binder jetting,
material extrusion, powder bed fusion, sheet
lamination, direct energy disposition.

11. With the help of these
processes, manufacturers are
able to design and produce
highly detailed and cost-
effective products in a short
amount of time.

12. The reason for this is that additive manufacturing allows for the pre-fabrication of
complex objects which helps reduce labor time and costs.

13. However, because the additive process is so detailed, it can only produce single
prototypes or small batches at a time.

14. Subtractive Manufacturing

15. As you may have gathered from its name, Subtractive Manufacturing is the opposite
from Additive Manufacturing. In this process, prototypes are created by removing
material from larger pieces of material.

17. Subtractive is a more traditional
manufacturing method that often
involves milling, turning, lathing,
drilling, and CNC.

18. While most products can be made this way, subtractive processes are
considered wasteful in comparison to other methods.

19. Subtractive processes are also
limited to the amount of detail
they can produce in a cost-
effective way.

20. Oftentimes, detailed products
require the use of a CNC router
or skilled machinist, which can
drive up costs significantly.

21. On the plus side, subtractive manufacturing makes the most sense when
producing large volume products that have simple part designs.

22. Formative Manufacturing

23. Formative manufacturing uses processes like injection molding, die
casting, pressing, and stamping to form materials into the desired
shape.

24. This process can be completed using a
variety of materials including metal and
plastic. It also enables manufacturers to
make a single product out of different
materials at the same time.

25. Formative manufacturing, especially injection molding, also lends itself to
creative and financial flexibility. In fact, many manufacturers can produce
high quality parts of any color at very low per-part costs.

26. But tooling can come at a hefty price, both in cost and in functionality.
Tooling is not only expensive but also requires longer lead times, which
is not ideal.

27. There are also some constraints that need to be taken into consideration. For instance:

28. And for die casting, the casting weight must be between 30 grams and 10kg, AND the final
casting must have some porosity.
For injection molding, uneven wall thicknesses and sharp edges should be avoided in
the design stage.

29. Each one of these manufacturing methods offers
manufacturers something different, whether it’s quick
turnaround time or the ability to mass produce.
All in all, it’s safe to say that all three of these methods still
have a solid place in the manufacturing world.

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