Adaptation for AM (AfAM)Versus
Design for AM (DfAM)
Kevin Brigden MEng
Applications Engineer
Additive Manufacturing Products
Renishaw plc
Brooms Road, Stone Business Park
Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0SH
United Kingdom
Fax +44 (0) 1785 812 115
Direct Line +44 (0) 1785 285 168
www.renishaw.com
Conventional
DfAM optimised
Adapted
• Adaptation for AM (AfAM):
– The redevelopment or modification of existing product designs to better suit the
design constraints imposed by additive manufacture; leveraging AM specific
benefits
– Existing product design specification (PDS) and system-level design reduce
available ‘design space’
• Design for AM (DfAM):
– The wholesale ‘blank sheet’ design and development of a new product; fully
exploiting the opportunities the technology provides
– Considerably more open design space and ability to influence system-level design
decisions
Slide 24/25/2016
AM Competence development
Slide 44/25/2016
Kn
ow
led
ge
AM metallurgy
Design for manufacture
Validation and quality assurance
Skil
ls
Advanced level, CAD/CAE literate design engineers
Machine operators/process support technicians
Exp
eri
en
ce
Process limitations
Post-processing (heat treatment, surface finishing etc.)
Finish machining
‘Renishaw AM Solution Centre’ Development
Plans
4/25/2016
Renishaw Solutions Centres and Applications support
• Hydraulic manifold for a circuit operating at pressures in the order of
200-500bar
• Weight limited application
• Simple circuit consisting of two check valves, a solenoid valve and
their associated outlet ports (male insert type)
A common design problem
Slide 64/25/2016
Conventional Solution: Block Manifold
Slide 84/25/2016
Benefits
• A simple solution to the problem
• Easy to design
• Fast to manufacture
Limitations
• Sub-optimal performance due to cross-drillings
• Massively inefficient use of material
• 8 additional components in the form of pressure plugs
Mass: 4.6kg (10lbs)
Adapted for AM
Slide 104/25/2016
Benefits
• A significant reduction in mass
• Improved hydraulic performance
• ‘Drop-in’ replacement for conventional part
• Pressure plugs no longer needed
Limitations
• Horizontal passageways need support and machining
allowances can’t be too aggressive
• Removal of material reduces rigidity and complicates
machiningMass: 1kg (2.2lbs)
• True DfAM products are always clean sheet designs
• Customer has a specific product application in mind
• Adherence to a product development methodology as per any other
conventional design process
• Engineering due diligence: cost/benefit, concept evaluation, design
optimisation, compromises for manufacture etc.
DfAM Checklist
Slide 114/25/2016
DfAM concept development
Component-level feature opportunity
System-level specification
Slide 124/25/2016
Product design specification cycle
Designed for AM
Slide 134/25/2016
Benefits
• Extremely efficient use of material
• Alignment of valves allows for entirely self-supporting part
• High rigidity aids finish machining
• Consolidation of outlet ports into design
Limitations
• High degree of CAD complexity/difficulty
• System-level engineering and design must be flexible in
order to react to and incorporate the potential advantages
of DfAM MASS: 0.4kg (0.89lbs)
Version Mass (kg) Saving
Conventional 4.6 -
AfAM 1.0 78%
DfAM 0.4 91%
Slide 144/25/2016
Conventional AfAM DfAM
Summary
Slide 154/25/2016
Design space
Process
De
sig
n s
pa
ce
(fre
ed
om
to
ch
an
ge)
Process Process
Form Form
Fit
Function?
Direct part
replacement
Adapt
for AM
Design
for AM