September 23, 2024

Differences in Additive Processes

KNOWING THE METAL AM OPTIONS

Design flexibility. Material efficiency. Production speed.

Metal additive manufacturing has established new standards for each—and given leaders across a wide range of industries (from aerospace to healthcare) the unique ability to rapidly and cost-effectively produce metal parts.

This has helped support everything from the growing demand for electric vehicles to new advances in dental technology—and it’s fueling a market predicted to grow to $9.74 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate of 16.1%¹.

Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM)—the process SPEE3D uses to eliminate the need for melting powders, enhance mechanical properties, and reduce thermal stress—is just one of the processes driving the metal AM movement forward.

Other process—like Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Direct Energy Deposition, and Binder Jetting—each come with their own unique set of advantages and challenges.

Here’s a high-level view of how each one works.

Laser Powder Bed Fusion

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) fuses powdered metals together with a laser beam to produce complex, highly detailed parts.

A recoater blade or roller spreads the powders across a substrate, at which point the beam is used to melt the powder needed for each layer—improving resolution and accuracy.

It’s an efficient, versatile technology for creating high-performance metal parts for a variety of industries, including:

• Aerospace
• Automotive
• Medical and Dental
• Oil and Gas

Direct Energy Deposition

Direct Energy Deposition (DED) uses CAD software to create a 3D model that’s sliced into layers that represent the ones required for the finished part.

A focused energy source like a plasma arc, laser, or electron beam is used to melt the materials, which are then deposited onto a specified surface where they solidify to form the part.

It’s a process well suited for producing, repairing, and enhancing metal parts with high precision, making it useful for:

• Repair and Maintenance
• Aerospace
• Tool and Die
• Research and Development

Binder Jetting

Widely regarded as one of the fastest metal AM processes for producing highly dense precision parts, binder jetting uses an industrial printhead to deposit a liquid binding agent onto a thin layer of powder particles.

The process is repeated layer by layer using a map from a digital design file until the finished part is completed.

It’s ideal for industries that require detailed, scalable manufacturing solutions, including:

• Automotive
• Consumer Goods
• Industrial Machinery
• Defence

Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing

By eliminating the need for extensive training or complex infrastructure, Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM) makes it possible to rapidly and cost-effectively produce strong, cast-equivalent metal parts even in remote locations.

The process uses kinetic energy to spray metal particles at subsonic speeds onto a substrate to build parts in layers—causing the particles to bind together in ways that improve density, lower porosity, and enhance mechanical properties.

This makes it ideal for a wide range of applications across a number of industries, including:

• Defence
• Tooling and Molds
• Energy
• Research and Development

Choosing the right option

Innovation in metal AM is making it possible to cost-effectively in-source the production and repair of critical parts—and transforming industries in the process.

To understand what makes CSAM such a breakthrough advance, read our full guide comparing these processes in greater detail.

Just complete and submit the form below to take a look.

¹ Metal Additive Manufacturing Global Market Report, The Business Research Company, January 2024