MIE1724H: Additive Manufacturing in Engineering Applications

The aim of this course is to help students understand the concepts of AM and their role in design and fabrication of complex structures. Also, the course will introduce state-of-the-art approaches to "3D printing," which is the more common term to the more professionally utilized "Additive Manufacturing" (AM) term. Students will be able to follow a design paradigm through careful analysis of complex structures and complete an AM process flow through CAD conceptualization, conversion to STL files, transfer to AM machine, machine conditioning, removal/clean up, and post-processing. Also, design for AM (DfAM) is introduced to optimize product fabrication, controlled by part orientation, support design, hollowing out components, constraining features/undercuts, interlock structures, and multi-material compatibilities. Case studies will be introduced with AM for investment casting and part fabrication without a conventional CAD file, with focus on medical modeling and reverse engineering data. In recent years, new approaches to AM solutions have produced a large range of controllability and size ranges. Examples of emerging technologies are Multi-Jet Printing (MJP), AM+CNC, two-photon lithography (for nanoscale AM) and Volumetric 3D Printing. Ultimately, students will be able to apply and scale models from the most focused technical perspective to eventual AM fabrication of complex lightweight designs… and never rely on randomized approaches to AM.

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