Abstract:

Additive manufacturing (AM) has become a major phenomenon on a global scale. In addition to being a simple and fast manufacturing process, this technology also allows engineers to overcome certain design difficulties in just a few hours, in comparison with traditional methods which would take up to several weeks. AM facilitates production of products using less material, maintaining the performance and quality factors. Many of the cost studies involve a scenario where a workpiece is repeatedly manufactured. However, one of the advantages of additive production is the ability to simultaneously produce different components. The current study proposes a cost analysis for two AM processes undertaken for a medical device prototype. Economic analysis for the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) case study included a sensitivity analysis based on the variation of two output printing parameters in relation to the used support structure. Six types of support structures were used for the analysis and three degrees of infill for each specific pattern. The Digital Light Processing (DLP) economic analysis included a standard support structure and a conventional orientation on the build plate. Based on the conducted study, the medical device prototype was found to be 6.56 times more expensive to print with DLP than with FDM. Regardless of the degree of filling, the mass of the prototype remained unchanged and the time varied. The increase in time is justified by the increase of the auxiliary times, namely the time when the print head moves depending on the complexity of the infill pattern. Thus, for the same component of the medical device prototype an increased cost was directly proportional to the printing time.