A comparative study on anapproach to print Industrial Toolsvia Additive Manufacturing for Volume Production from Technical, Economic, and Environmental aspects

Abstract: The thesis explores a path to use Additive Manufacturing as an approach for volume production of Industrial Technique Business Area Tools, addressing the challenges of manufacturing complexity, low volume demand, and quality control for both Atlas Copco Industrial Technique industrial tools (Tool 1 & Tool 2). This study is done in cooperation with Atlas Copco Industrial Technique, comparing the technological, economic, and environmental performance of AM versus the current manufacturing approach from a round bar. Choosing selective laser melting as the technology, a further evaluation is done for material selection based on cost, availability, and conformance to the original material properties. Models are developed for estimating the costs of printing based on various build orientations and material combinations, and the designs are further modified for feature consolidation and manufacturing for additive manufacturing. Computer-aided machining simulations are performed to optimize the machining strategy on a hybrid multitasking machine, followed by a tolerance test on a coordinate measuring machine. The developed cost model uses manufacturing data from simulations and machining to estimate the associated manufacturing costs. Finally, to calculate the energy consumption during both printing and machining, a model is established to analyze the environmental performance. The findings show that the additive manufacturing approach manufactured accurate parts with shorter lead times and lesser environmental impact. This approach offers value addition through feature consolidation, near-customer manufacturing, and a better machining approach to tackle manufacturing complexity. While printing costs contribute significantly, overall, this approach has higher costs than the existing approach but can be reduced as per the model forecast. Alternative sourcing or in-house component manufacturing presents a challenging business case for both the industrial tools, resulting in cost and time savings during assembly. Successful mechanical testing could extend this approach to other complex, low-volume products in the organization, providing a comprehensive framework for advancing manufacturing processes.