A conceptual tool to support the ecodesign of additively manufactured products

ABSTRACT:

Additive manufacturing (AM) eases conventional manufacturing (CM) constraints allowing new design freedom. Yet designers still rely on experience and face AM high energy demand and variable waste benefits. This paper introduces an ecodesign approach to AM workflow through a tool comparing AM and CM via lifecycle metrics. The tool anticipates design and sustainability challenges providing environmental insights already at initial stages. This is highlighted with two use scenario: a new design and a redesign task. Future work involves tool development and validation with industrial case studies.