A Surface Modification Decision Tree to Influence Design in Additive Manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM) presents a very different set of design challenges to traditional manufacturing. Layer-wise building brings about issues with residual stresses and support requirements which lead to failures during processing of poorly-designed parts. Additionally, there is a need for post-processing due to poor part quality, which adds another process to the chain with its own unique design limitations. This paper discusses the issues surrounding designing for AM and the subsequent post-processing. A future vision is proposed for the selection of post-processes and the relative design adjustments to accommodate the chosen techniques. A decision tree is presented as a framework for process selection based on part requirements. Although at present, the data necessary to realise this vision is incomplete, with further research into the capabilities and design constraints of different post-processes, this approach could provide a systematic method for integrating design for post-processing with AM design.