Wohlers Report 2019, an annual report on the additive manufacturing (AM) industry, says that companies with both metal and polymer AM services have reported that more than 26% of a part’s cost is from post-processing.
Post-processing can include powder removal, thermal stress relief, support material removal, surface treatment and finishing, and inspection, the report says. ‘Print time and cost are determined largely by shape, mass, support material, and orientation when an AM part is built. All of these characteristics are heavily influenced by design, making good design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) practices a major factor in the economy of AM.’
The report is formed from 127 providers of AM services worldwide.
This story uses material from Wohlers, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.
