Understanding CAD in Additive Manufacturing — Lesson 1

This lesson covers the role of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) in additive manufacturing, a process used to reduce product lifecycle time. It delves into the importance of CAD in rapid prototyping and the various topics related to it, such as the printing process, CAD file formats, CAD CAM software, modelling, data processing, and issues related to STL and AMF file formats. The lesson also discusses the process of converting a CAD model into a machine-understandable format, the importance of design considerations in additive manufacturing, and the steps involved in preparing a CAD file for printing. It further highlights the common issues faced in additive manufacturing, such as feature resolution, surface roughness, and geometric accuracy.

Video Highlights

00:22 - Discussion on the importance of CAD in reducing product lifecycle time and its role in rapid prototyping
03:40 - Explanation of the process of converting a CAD model into a machine understandable format
10:16 - Explanation of the process of model slicing in Additive Manufacturing and the importance of layer thickness
37:11 - Discussion on the design considerations in Additive Manufacturing, including feature resolution, surface roughness, and geometrical accuracy
47:41 - Explanation of the machine setup process in Additive Manufacturing, including build plate preparation, feedstock preparation, and build environment preparation

Key Takeaways

- CAD plays a crucial role in additive manufacturing, particularly in rapid prototyping.
- The conversion of a CAD model into a machine-understandable format involves several steps, including design, simulation, additive file creation, and additive process.
- Design considerations in additive manufacturing include feature resolution, surface roughness, and geometric accuracy.
- The preparation of a CAD file for printing involves checking the geometric input, rectifying file errors, deciding part orientation, adding support structures, and slicing the part.
- Common issues in additive manufacturing include the staircase effect, shrinkage, warping, and the need for support structures.