Engineering and Economic Aspects of Additive Manufacturing in Energy Related Industries

Abstract

Additive manufacturing is the buzz word these days and many companies are leaning on this technology to leap forward in un-chartered design space that promises to give better performance at impossible to reach design goals with the current manufacturing methods. This paper addresses recent developments that have occurred in Energy related businesses with the adoption of 3D printing, also known as Additive Manufacturing (AM). It covers what and why of additive manufacturing; what constitutes energy and AM industry; current activities in AM for energy; AM for different energy sectors; AM processes; AM applications; selected patents in additive manufacturing associated with energy applications; and economic and financial aspects of AM in energy related industries. In this review paper it was noted that in-spite of phenomenal growth in AM, it seldom replaces traditional production methods due to associated constraints. Many companies are finding complimentary AM processes along with subtractive manufacturing techniques to meet the market demands. However, AM is particularly advantageous and attractive compared to traditional manufacturing methods for low volume complex geometry parts.