Cost estimation model for the directed energy deposition process adopting an activity-based approach

• Autor(a) principal: Santos, João Abel Passos dos
• Data de Publicação: 2018
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/14021
• topic: Additive Manufacturing; Directed Energy Deposition; Manufacturing Costs; Custos de fabrico; Gestão Industrial

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a manufacturing process capable to produce threedimensional components and products directly from raw material and 3D design data. This layer-by-layer operating process has many advantages, including high geometrical freedom and short lead time, enabling the production of single parts or small series with reduced costs, compared to conventional processes. One of the metal AM processes, which is, currently, receiving a lot of attention is the Directed Energy Deposition (DED). This technology is an effective manufacturing technique to build metallic and functional parts and to repair valuable components. DED uses a high-powered laser as a focused heat source to locally melt the delivered powder or wire-shaped raw materials. In this process, the delivery of powder can be carried out by using either a single nozzle or multi-nozzle configuration of the deposition head. Different technologies are usually labeled as DED processes, such as the Laser Engineering Net Shaping (LENS), which is a common technology of deposition with multinozzle. The aim of this study is to perform technological and economic assessments of a Directed Energy Deposition process by developing a cost estimation model which evaluates and estimates the process costs along the DED process chain. Cost is generally the key point for decision making, with break-even points for different manufacturing technologies being the dominant information for decision-makers. Cost estimation may be also profitable for designers and engineers at the preliminary design stage to understand the cost impact of alternative designs. In this study, the main cost elements are defined and discussed along the process chain, in addition to being also considered sustainability issues related with the DED process.