Material and Process Comparison for Additive Manufacturing Applications

Categories
Mechanical engineering
Skills
research technical writing additive manufacturing (3d printing) decision making
Project scope

What is the main goal for this project?

Learners will evaluate materials and processes to identify the best fit for a proposed AM application. They will:

  • Select at least two AM processes (e.g., powder bed fusion, material extrusion).
  • Compare performance trade-offs of polymer vs. metal feedstocks for the selected application.
  • Assess factors such as cost, durability, mechanical performance, and thermal properties.
  • Recommend the most suitable material-process pairing for the application.


What tasks will learners need to complete to achieve the project goal?

Expected project outcomes and deliverables:

Learners will submit:

  • A research brief with process-material comparisons.
  • A cost-performance matrix summarizing trade-offs.
  • A final recommendation for an AM process-material pairing with justification.

Skills:

  • Materials evaluation and selection
  • Additive manufacturing process analysis
  • Research and technical writing
  • Critical thinking
  • Decision-making for engineering applications