Marketing and potential application review of large-scale additive manufacturing

Abstract

Since its advent, additive manufacturing (AM) has grown steadily and found applications across all types of sectors. While the great development of such technologies has improved the quality of prints and expanded the availability of materials, AM still has some limitations regarding its physical scaling. This work will present the state-of-the-art of large-scale additive manufacturing and subsequently greater attention will be given to extrusion-based 3D printing. Specifically, we will discuss about large scale additive manufacturing (LSAM) especially pellet extrusion.The subject of this thesis is the presentation of innovations in the area of Fused Granulate Fabrication for Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing (LSAM), covering state-of-the-art multi-material printing combined with the use of sophisticated materials and embedded functionalities. The wide variety of covered materials comprises biodegradable plastics, bio-based thermoplastics, advanced thermoplastics, MIM granulates, ceramic-infused composites, and foamable granulates-all uniquely suited to different applications based on industrial needs. These materials now make it possible to create lightweight, high-performance, and sustainable construction, with the growing market demand for greener and functionally superior components in aerospace, automotive, and healthcare sectors.