Product Code: PIC06_701

Direct Metal Deposition: Environmentally Friendly Enabling Technology (Invited Presentation)
Authors:
H. Qi, CLAIM, The Univ. of Michigan; Ann Arbor MI USA
Jyoti Mazumder, CLAIM, The University of Michigan; Ann Arbor MI USA
S.J. Skerlos, CLAIM, The Univ. of Michigan; Ann Arbor Hills MI USA
W.R. Morrow, CLAIM, The Univ. of Michigan; Ann Arbor MI USA
B. Dutta, POM Group Inc.; Ann Arbor Hills MI USA
Presented at PICALO 2006

Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) is an enabling technology which can produce three dimensional parts directly from Computer Aided Design (CAD). This technology is being explored in wide variety of industry including tool and Die to scaffolds for Tissue engineering. DMD have made it possible to eliminate environmentally polluting supply chain activities in the metal fabrication such as tooling industry and to repair and remanufacture tool and dies. DMD is a blending of five different technologies including laser, CAD, CAM, sensors and Powder metallurgy. It can deposit multiple materials pixel by pixel or can create functionally gradient materials. In this article, we investigate different case studies to reveal the extent of DMD-based manufacturing. Also reported is its potential for currently achieving reduced air emissions and energy consumption relative to conventional manufacturing pathways. It is shown that DMD's greatest opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of tool and die manufacturing will come from its ability enable remanufacturing. Laser-based remanufacturing of tooling is shown to reduce cost and environmental impact simultaneously, especially for cases where relatively minor repairs or product updates previously required the production of replacement tools. Due to its amenability for automation, it also has the potential for becoming a "Global Manufacturing Platform".