Sustainable Plastics - March/April 2022 - 22

additive manufacturing
Gil Felus
the shift towards this production
method, it may be possible to
achieve.
From a purely business
The Green
Movement
in Additive
Manufacturing:
Why it's time to buy In
As the world moves towards a greener agenda, it's no surprise
that goods and materials manufacturers are starting to shift
production methods. The aim is to find a cost-effective solution
that is environmentally friendly and significantly decreases
carbon emissions. Not an easy task.
P
22
roduction companies
are now turning to additive
manufacturing
(AM) - also known as
3D Printing - for its sustainability
value. Additive manufacturing is
a process of producing objects
based on 3D models, usually
digitised, or digitally engineered,
that joins either the same or different
materials layer by layer,
directly from a raw material such
as a powder, liquid, sheet, or filMarch/April
2022
ament form. There is no need for
pre-made molds, tools, or dyes
that are typically used during
conventional machining or forming
processes.
Additive manufacturing
benefits
3D printing is a versatile manufacturing
technique that also
enables a reduction in energy
and raw material usage over
traditional production methods.
A relatively novel technology,
it wastes less product and raw
materials, uses less energy, and
is highly versatile in its application.
According to a 2014 study,
switching to additive manufacturing
could play a major role
in changing life cycle costs, energy
use and carbon emissions
globally by 2025. It's ambitious,
but if more manufacturers make
standpoint, reducing cost and
becoming more energy efficient
make AM seem to be an obvious
choice. Low volume, customised,
and high-value production
chains such as aerospace and
medical component manufacturing
can benefit from 3D printing,
while simultaneously reducing
resource demands and their
related CO2 emissions over the
entire product life cycle. Moreover,
shifting to AM induces
changes in labor structures and
generates shifts towards more
digital and decentralized supply
chains - more cost savings.
AM is starting to replace the
conventional production of certain
plastics, raw materials, and
automotive parts; processes
that would usually take a few
months or even years are cut
down to few days or weeks with
AM. Beyond the obvious efficiency,
a shortened supply chain
requires less energy use and
minimizes the carbon footprint
of the whole production process.
Repairing and remanufacturing
components using 3D printing
is also a perfect alternative
for manufacturers searching for
greener solutions. For example,
in the transportation industry,
propeller blades can be repaired
using 3D printing techniques
as opposed to building a
new blade, which would include
cutting and using large quantities
of raw materials, molds,
tools, energy, transport and
shipping, not to mention, time.
A process that would usually
demand months can be completed
within a matter of hours.
3D printing also offers manufacturers
the option to design
and build complex objects and
shapes that otherwise might be
impossible to create through
conventional methods, opening
the door to nearly immediate
product customisations.
Increasing the sustainability
value proposition
with novel materials
Despite its reduced reliance on
raw materials, 3D printing is not
always a zero-waste option. AM
continued on page 24
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