Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing — Engineering & Procurement Topic Overview (12 Articles)

Additive manufacturing (AM) is transforming how aerospace brackets, topology-optimized humanoid robot joints, and patient-specific orthopedic implants are produced from titanium. The two primary industrial routes—Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF / DMLS) using 15–53 µm spherical powder and Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM / DED) using precision spooled ERTi-5 / ERTi-23 wire—demand strict control over interstitial oxygen (O <= 0.13% for ELI), nitrogen, and hydrogen pickup.

Procurement engineers sourcing AM feedstock or hybrid print-plus-CNC components must align powder/wire lot chemistry with post-build Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP), vacuum stress relief, and ASTM F2924 / ASTM F3001 mechanical release testing. The articles below examine AM feedstock qualification, inert enclosure safety, and cost trade-offs against multi-axis forging.