This week’s selection is the exhaustive “Additive Manufacturing of Metals: From Fundamental Technology to Rocket Nozzles, Medical Implants, and Custom Jewelry” by John O. Milewski.
The book is a whirlwind introduction and explanation to the science of 3D metal printing, a topic of some significant interest in recent years. This book, updated in 2017, covers the entire spectrum of 3D metal printing technology, and is about the most comprehensive tome on the topic you might find.
As you might expect, Milewski begins with a bit of history of the history of 3D printing and specifically 3D metal printing, as well as exposing some of the most popular potential uses of the technology before diving very deep into the actual methods of achieving those results.
The major forms of 3D metal printing processes are reviewed in considerable detail, including:
- Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion
- Laser Beam Directed Energy Deposition
- Electron Beam Fusion
- Electron Beam Deposition
- Arc Welding
- Binder Jet
- Molding Techniques
- Ultrasonics
- Cold Spray
- Nano and Micro Scale Methods
This is virtually the entirety of 3D metal printing processes, and each are explained clearly with examples as well as advantages and disadvantages.
Milewski correctly explains that the technology is only one part of the lifecycle to produce 3D metal prints. As such, he goes deep on 3D design for metal printing, as well as the processes required to actually get “end to end” when 3D metal printing.
Not to be left out is a section on the physical operation of 3D metal printing, which focuses on the many post-printing activities that commonly are required on the various 3D metal printing processes.
Most of the explanatory sections include a “Key Take Away Points” at the close of the chapter, which will help cement the ideas presented in your mind.
Finally, there are a series of very interesting appendices, including links to additional resources, safety considerations, programming and printing examples, and exercises for the reader to consider.
There’s even a section on how to build an “Arc Based 3D Shape Welding System”, which ambitious readers may wish to attempt building.
Last but not the least is a “Score Chart of AM Skills”, which will surely be highly useful to those considering setting up a 3D metal printing workshop. These can be applied against an inventory of current skills to develop a gap analysis and plan to fill.
If you or your company is considering getting in 3D metal printing, this is your book.
Via Amazon
