Purpose

Additive manufacturing (AM) offers potential solutions when conventional manufacturing reaches its technological limits. These include a high degree of design freedom, lightweight design, functional integration and rapid prototyping. In this paper, the authors show how AM can be implemented not only for prototyping but also production using different optimization approaches in design including topology optimization, support optimization and selection of part orientation and part consolidation. This paper aims to present how AM can reduce the production cost of complex components such as jet engine air manifold by optimizing the design. This case study also identifies a detailed feasibility analysis of the cost model for an air manifold of an Airbus jet engine using various strategies, such as computer numerical control machining, printing with standard support structures and support optimization.

Design/methodology/approach

Parameters that affect the production price of the air manifold such as machining, printing (process), feedstock, labor and post-processing costs were calculated and compared to find the best manufacturing strategy.

Findings

Results showed that AM can solve a range of problems and improve production by customization, rapid prototyping and geometrical freedom. This case study showed that 49%–58% of the cost is related to pre- and post-processing when using laser-based powder bed fusion to produce the air manifold. However, the cost of pre- and post-processing when using machining is 32%–35% of the total production costs. The results of this research can assist successful enterprises, such as aerospace, automotive and medical, in successfully turning toward AM technology.

Originality/value

Important factors such as validity, feasibility and limitations, pre-processing and monitoring, are discussed to show how a process chain can be controlled and run efficiently. Reproducibility of the process chain is debated to ensure the quality of mass production lines. Post-processing and qualification of the AM parts are also discussed to show how to satisfy the demands on standards (for surface quality and dimensional accuracy), safety, quality and certification. The original contribution of this paper is identifying the main production costs of complex components using both conventional and AM.

中文翻译：

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增材制造是航空航天业的强大工具

目的

当传统制造达到其技术极限时，增材制造 (AM) 提供了潜在的解决方案。其中包括高度的设计自由度、轻量化设计、功能集成和快速原型制作。在本文中，作者展示了如何使用不同的设计优化方法（包括拓扑优化、支撑优化以及零件方向和零件整合的选择）实施增材制造，不仅可以用于原型设计，还可以用于生产。本文旨在介绍增材制造如何通过优化设计来降低喷气发动机空气歧管等复杂部件的生产成本。本案例研究还确定了使用各种策略（例如计算机数控加工）对空客喷气发动机空气歧管成本模型的详细可行性分析，

设计/方法/方法

计算并比较影响空气歧管生产价格的参数，例如加工、印刷（工艺）、原料、劳动力和后处理成本，以找到最佳制造策略。

发现

结果表明，增材制造可以通过定制、快速原型设计和几何自由度解决一系列问题并提高生产效率。该案例研究表明，在使用基于激光的粉末床融合技术生产空气歧管时，49%–58% 的成本与前处理和后处理有关。然而，使用机械加工时的前处理和后处理成本占总生产成本的 32%~35%。这项研究的结果可以帮助航空航天、汽车和医疗等成功企业成功转向增材制造技术。

原创性/价值

讨论了有效性、可行性和局限性、预处理和监控等重要因素，以展示如何有效控制和运行流程链。工艺链的再现性是为了确保大规模生产线的质量而争论不休。还讨论了增材制造零件的后处理和鉴定，以展示如何满足标准（表面质量和尺寸精度）、安全、质量和认证的要求。本文的最初贡献是使用传统和 AM 确定复杂组件的主要生产成本。