Introduction
For over a century, manufacturing was primarily “subtractive”—starting with a block of material and cutting it away (milling, drilling, turning) to reach the final shape. Additive Manufacturing (AM) represents a fundamental shift in this logic. It is the process of joining materials to make objects from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing methodologies.
In the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) world, AM is the key to unlocking “impossible” designs. It allows engineers to create complex geometries, such as internal lattices or organic shapes, that traditional tools simply cannot reach.
The 7 Types of Additive Manufacturing (ASTM Standards)
To bring order to the many technologies available, the ASTM International (F42 Committee) has classified Additive Manufacturing into seven distinct categories:
1. Material Extrusion (e.g., FDM)
Material is selectively dispensed through a nozzle or orifice.
- Common Use: Functional prototypes and manufacturing aids (jigs/fixtures).
2. Vat Photopolymerization (e.g., SLA, DLP)
Liquid photopolymer in a vat is selectively cured by light-activated polymerization.
- Common Use: High-detail models, jewelry, and dental applications.
3. Powder Bed Fusion (e.g., SLS, SLM, DMLS)
Thermal energy selectively fuses regions of a powder bed.
- Common Use: Industrial-grade metal parts for aerospace and automotive.
4. Material Jetting
Droplets of build material are selectively deposited.
- Common Use: Full-color realistic prototypes and anatomical models.
5. Binder Jetting
A liquid bonding agent is selectively deposited to join powder materials.
- Common Use: Sand casting molds and large-scale architectural models.
6. Directed Energy Deposition (DED)
Thermal energy is used to fuse materials by melting as they are being deposited.
- Common Use: Repairing high-value components (like turbine blades) and adding material to existing parts.
7. Sheet Lamination
Sheets of material are bonded to form an object.
- Common Use: Rapid tooling and low-cost aesthetic models.
Why Additive Manufacturing is a Strategic PLM Asset
| Advantage | Business Impact |
| Weight Reduction | Create lighter parts with the same strength through lattice structures. |
| Part Consolidation | Replace assemblies of 20+ parts with a single 3D-printed component. |
| Supply Chain Resilience | Print spare parts on-site instead of waiting for international shipments. |
| Sustainability | Drastic reduction in material waste compared to subtractive methods. |
How Visure Solutions Governs Additive Manufacturing
Moving from “prototyping” to “industrial production” requires rigorous control. Visure Requirements ALM Platform provides the necessary governance:
- Managing Material Requirements: AM performance depends 100% on material purity. Visure tracks the requirements for powder or resin specifications.
- Traceability of Parameters: For critical parts (Medical/Aero), Visure links the specific “print recipe” to the original functional requirements.
- Regulatory Compliance: Use Visure to generate the documentation needed to prove that a layer-by-layer build meets the same safety standards as a forged part.
- Design Validation: Link simulation results (FEA) directly to the AM requirements to ensure the part will survive real-world stress.
Conclusion
Additive Manufacturing is no longer just a trend; it is a pillar of modern industrial strategy. By understanding the different types of AM and where they fit in the product lifecycle, companies can innovate faster and build products that were once thought to be unmanufacturable.
With Visure, your Additive Manufacturing journey is safe, traceable, and fully integrated into your digital thread. You don’t just print parts; you manufacture compliant, high-performance solutions.
Check out the 14-day free trial at Visure and experience how AI-driven change control can help you manage changes faster, safer, and with full audit readiness.
