Manufacturing Methods

Digital Manufacturing is the integration of digital technologies—including CAD/CAM, simulation, and data analytics—across the entire manufacturing process, enabling smarter, more agile, and connected production systems.

• Within Digital Manufacturing, technologies & applications can generally be categorized into one of the following categories:

  • Product/System Design, which is the digital creation, validation, and optimization of parts, assemblies, and production systems before they exist physically. It encompasses technologies such as CAD, CAE, PLM, and digital twins, allowing engineers to model, simulate, and refine designs for performance, manufacturability, and sustainability. 

  • Manufacturing Optimization, which is the use of data-driven tools and simulations to enhance manufacturing methods, toolpaths, materials, and resource usage. It leverages CAM, process simulation, generative design, and predictive analytics to minimize waste, reduce cycle times, and improve quality through continuous digital feedback loops. 

  • Production Management, which is the coordination and control of manufacturing operations through connected digital systems. It involves technologies like MES, ERP, IoT, and industrial data analytics to monitor production, manage resources, and synchronize workflows between design, engineering, and shop-floor execution. 

Additive Manufacturing is the process of creating three-dimensional objects by building them layer by layer directly from digital models. It enables complex geometries, material efficiency, and design freedom that are often unattainable through traditional subtractive or formative methods. 

• Within Additive Manufacturing, technologies & applications can generally be categorized into one of the following categories:

  • Print-from-Head, which is the is the additive process in which material is selectively deposited through a moving print head, nozzle, or energy source onto a stationary or slowly moving platform. This category includes technologies such as Material Extrusion (FFF/FDM), Directed Energy Deposition (DED), and Material Jetting, where the precision and control of the print head determine part resolution and material characteristics. 

  • Print-from-Bed, which is the is the additive process in which a stationary energy source or print mechanism acts upon a movable or recoating powder, resin, or sheet bed. This category includes technologies such as Powder Bed Fusion (PBF), Binder Jetting, and Vat Photopolymerization (SLA/DLP), where the quality and speed depend on layer recoating, curing, and consolidation across the build platform. 

Robotic Manufacturing is the ntegration of programmable robotic systems into production environments to perform manufacturing and material-handling tasks with precision, repeatability, and flexibility. It bridges the gap between automation and adaptability—enabling reconfigurable production lines, advanced multi-process cells, and human-robot collaboration across the manufacturing lifecycle.

• Within Robotic Manufacturing, technologies & applications can generally be categorized into one of the following categories:

  • Robotic Manufacturing, which is the application of robotic systems to directly perform manufacturing processes through the manipulation of tools or material-deposition devices. This includes robotic welding, robotic additive manufacturing (e.g., wire arc AM), robotic subtractive machining, and robotic 2D cutting, where the robot acts as a dynamic tool carrier capable of multi-axis motion, adaptive sensing, and process integration.

  • Robotic Material Handling, which is the use of robotic systems to move, organize, and interact with materials, components, and equipment throughout the manufacturing process. This includes pick-and-place, palletizing, assembly, machine tending, and inspection, where robots enhance workflow efficiency, consistency, and safety while enabling full digital connectivity across production systems.

Subtractive Manufacturing is the process of creating parts by removing material from a solid workpiece using cutting, drilling, or abrading tools controlled by manual or computer-aided systems. It remains one of the most precise and widely used manufacturing methods, capable of achieving tight tolerances, fine surface finishes, and high structural integrity across metals, plastics, and composites.

• Within Subtractive Manufacturing, technologies & applications can generally be categorized into one of the following categories:

  • CNC Milling, which is the process in which a rotating cutting tool moves across a stationary workpiece to remove material and produce complex 2D and 3D geometries. Using computer numerical control (CNC), milling machines automate tool movement along multiple linear and rotary axes to perform operations such as facing, pocketing, contouring, and drilling.

  • CNC Turning, which is the process in which a workpiece rotates while a stationary cutting tool removes material to form cylindrical, conical, or contoured surfaces. Turning operations are typically performed on CNC lathes or turning centers, enabling high-precision production of shafts, bushings, and threaded components through continuous rotation and controlled tool feeds.

  • Multi-Axis CNC, which is the advanced class of subtractive machining systems capable of simultaneous movement along four, five, or more axes. These systems allow machining of complex surfaces and undercuts in a single setup, increasing precision, reducing fixturing time, and enabling high-performance applications such as aerospace components, molds, and impellers.

Automated Fabrication is the integration of computer-controlled systems to perform material cutting, forming, and joining operations with high precision, repeatability, and throughput. By automating traditional fabrication processes, it enhances consistency, safety, and scalability—bridging the gap between manual craftsmanship and fully digital manufacturing systems.

• Within Automated Fabrication, technologies & applications can generally be categorized into one of the following categories:

  • Cutting, which is the automated separation of material into desired shapes or components using thermal, mechanical, or photonic energy sources. This includes laser cutting, plasma cutting, and waterjet cutting, where motion control and process parameters are optimized digitally to achieve accurate, efficient, and repeatable results across a variety of materials.

  • Forming, which is the automated deformation of materials into specific shapes without removing material, using mechanical force, heat, or fluid pressure. Processes such as bending, rolling, braking, and hydroforming fall within this category—each relying on programmable controls to ensure consistent geometry, dimensional accuracy, and reduced setup variation.

  • Welding, which is the automated joining of materials, typically metals or thermoplastics, through localized melting, fusion, or solid-state bonding. This includes MIG/TIG welding, resistance welding, friction stir welding, and robotic welding, where precise motion coordination, sensing, and parameter control produce strong, repeatable joints in high-volume or complex assemblies.

Tool & Die Manufacturing is the discipline focused on designing, machining, and assembling the precision tooling required to shape, form, and produce manufactured components. It serves as the foundation of mass production—linking design intent to manufacturing reality by creating the dies, molds, jigs, and fixtures that enable consistent, repeatable, and efficient fabrication across industries.

• Within Tool & Die Manufacturing, technologies & applications can generally be categorized into one of the following categories:

  • Tool & Die, which is the precision machining, grinding, and finishing of tooling components used in forming, cutting, and molding processes. This category includes manual and conversational machining, grinding, and post-processing operations such as polishing and surface coating—each ensuring the accuracy, dimensional stability, and longevity of dies, molds, and fixtures.

  • Metallurgical Manufacturing, which is the science and practice of altering the internal structure and properties of metals to achieve specific mechanical or thermal characteristics. Processes such as heat treatment, casting, and forging, modify material microstructure to enhance hardness, strength, ductility, or wear resistance—ensuring that tools and dies perform reliably under demanding industrial conditions.

  • Benchwork, which is the manual and semi-manual precision work involved in assembling, fitting, aligning, and finishing tools, dies, and components. It encompasses hand filing, surface finishing, assembly, inspection, and metrology, blending craftsmanship with precision instrumentation to achieve the fine tolerances and surface qualities that automated systems alone cannot replicate.