Most of the general population does not realize that 3D printing has been around for over 30 years. At the other extreme many people who work with and around 3D printing frequently proclaim that Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a revolutionary technological breakthrough. Some people project that AM is potentially a disruptive technology that will replace traditional manufacturing and the way goods are produced and distributed while others see it as primarily a tool for rapid prototyping with some limited low volume production capability. AM technology continues to advance rapidly with the development and expansion of 3D printing capabilities, software advancements, scanning systems, and growth in the type materials that can be used with these systems. Rosy forecasts have been made by some regarding the future of AM technology, but it’s still uncertain how fast it will grow and how far it will go before its potential is reached.
Prerequisites:
None
Learning Goals:
The overall Goals and Objectives for this course are listed below. Each Module of the course contains individual objectives that support the overall course goals and objectives.
- Describe Additive Manufacturing Technology
- Explain the difference between 3D printing and Additive Manufacturing Technology
- Describe the Additive Manufacturing Design Process
- Name 3 Design Guidelines for Additive Manufacturing
- Describe how objects are printed one layer at a time
- Explain Rapid Prototyping
- Describe the role of rapid prototyping in Additive Manufacturing
- Explain the difference between a prototype and a production item
- Name at least 2 advantages of using Additive Manufacturing
- Describe the advantage of prototyping with Additive Manufacturing
- Describe the difference between a AM developed prototype and a production item
- Explain how AM technology is used in UAS and Medical Device applications
Note 1: This course will be held online with rolling enrollment.
Note 2: This course will run three weeks from the start date as scheduled with Sinclair once enrollment is complete.
