Additive Manufacturing Debate: A Thought Experiment

Abstract

Two imaginary researchers, R1 and R2, start talking about hybrid additive manufacturing (AM). Their talk turns into a debate. None of them is less knowledgeable. One cannot teach the other. They are not interested in being part of a Socratic dialogue, where one assumes the role of a teacher, while the other becomes a student. They wonder whether both AM and hybrid AM are the same. Soon they discover that what they understand about the definition is far different than what it is. One says the definition has an inner contradiction; another defends it. One says the name of AM is not right; another shows a brighter picture. One argues that this name can have a negative implication on the education; the other questions the logic. Their discussion includes directed energy deposition, sheet lamination, powder bed fusion, other manufacturing techniques, pre-processing, and post-processing. One says sheet lamination is not AM; another shows how to make a product using sheet lamination. One says selective laser sintering should not be considered AM; another questions the way AM is getting compared with an established subject. At the end, there is no attempt to draw a conclusion; there are only viewpoints, logics, and arguments.