Preface
Additive Manufacturing Essentials was originally authored by Timothy E. Simpson and John E. Barnes, and published by OpenStax, Rice University. It is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). The original work is available at https://openstax.org/books/additive-manufacturing-essentials. This version has been adapted for use in the Universal Open Textbook Initiative.
About Additive Manufacturing Essentials
Additive Manufacturing Essentials provides a clear, effective introduction to the core principles, technologies, and methods in the field of additive manufacturing. Rooted in industry practice and innovation, the material presents examples and approaches from an array of additive manufacturing companies, equipment producers, and software developers. Additive Manufacturing Essentials provides new entrants to the field with a working knowledge of the concepts and key applications of this critically important domain. Whether readers are engineers, scientists, fabricators, production/operations managers, entrepreneurs, educators, or career-changers, additive manufacturing can play a significant role in their studies and future careers. This offering is designed to help those students and professionals grow conversant in additive manufacturing, so that they can use their knowledge in further studies and organizational decision making.
Coverage and Scope
Additive Manufacturing Essentials begins with an overall introduction to the key characteristics, applications, and industrial-organizational uses AM. The first chapter also introduces the AM maturity model, developed by The Barnes Global Advisors, which serves as a theme throughout the course. The book then presents various AM methods, including illustrated discussions of the main manufacturing approaches and 3D printing types. Subsequent chapters explore materials, design, certification, qualification, and the digital thread. The book concludes with the business of AM, which aims to help readers apply what they’ve learned to their own organizations and workflows.
Answers to questions in the book
The answers to the end-of-chapter questions are intended for homework and assignments, and are therefore provided to instructors as instructor resources.
About the authors
Senior Contributing Authors
Timothy E. Simpson, Pennsylvania State University
John E. Barnes, The Barnes Global Advisors