Course Description

This course covers additive manufacturing – AKA 3D Printing – and how it is both innovating and disrupting modern manufacturing and design methods. Students will understand the operating principles of each mainstream AM process and how these principles govern its performance and limitations. Students will learn to identify how, when, and where additive manufacturing can improve manufacturing processes and products across the entire product lifecycle, from design concepts to end-of-life. Students will apply design for manufacturing constraints to components they design and additively manufacture.

Course Learning Outcomes:

1. Understand the fundamental principles and workflow of polymers, metals, and composite materials in different additive manufacturing processes.

2. Identify how additive manufacturing can be incorporated throughout existing, “traditional” manufacturing processes to increase overall process efficiency.

3. Identify potential applications for additive manufacturing in non-manufacturing environments and industries.

4. Adapt traditionally-manufactured components to an additive design, utilizing the advantages and reduced constraints of additive manufacturing.

5. Create multiple additively-manufactured components that demonstrate additive’s three primary uses in industry: rapid prototyping, tooling, & production.