Designing for Additive & Hybrid Manufacturing: How to Select Geometry and Materials for Strength, Cost, and Assembly Efficiency

Additive and hybrid manufacturing methods have evolved significantly and are now considered production technologies rather than just experimental methods across various industries. Hence, parts are not only required to have structural performance but also to be able to integrate smoothly with electronics and scale efficiently. Designing for these processes involves more than just taking advantage of the geometric freedom of the parts. It calls for a system level planning wherein mechanical decisions are made to accommodate downstream integration with such things as firmware, sensors, and control logic. 

It is not merely about printing parts. The main objective is to engineer parts that will be able to operate consistently, will have lower costs in the long run, and will also make the assembly process easier.

Geometry Choices That Influence Strength and Manufacturability

The ability to create complex internal structures with additive manufacturing does not always improve the performance of a part. Thus, to be effective in the design of geometry, consideration of the following will be important:

• Load direction and distribution of stress due to that load
• Direction of the layers and the strength (anisotropy) of the material
• Access to parts for support and post-processing

In hybrid manufacturing, designers must define which features are printed and which are subsequently machined in order to achieve the best control over tolerances and quality of surface finish, while maintaining as much of the advantage of additive processes as possible. 

Material Selection Driven by Functional Requirements

Additive manufactured materials possess different properties compared to those manufactured using conventional methods. Polymers have low interlayer adhesion and metal (alloy) residual stresses and shape distortion if not properly managed.

Selection criteria may include:

• Mechanical strength compared to the printed part’s orientation
• The thermal behaviour of the material when it is being used/finished
• Compatibility with inserts, fasteners and/or embedded components

Material choice has a direct impact on how the finished part performs, dissipates heat and is durable over the life of an electromechanical assembly.

Assembly Efficiency and Cost Optimization

Mixing and matching Additive Manufacturing might be seen in a number of different ways, but the biggest one solidly points towards part consolidation. As the number of parts decreases, the total time to assemble, problems with the inventory, and points of failure are reduced. However, going for too much consolidation can make it extremely hard to service the component and will basically increase the risk of discarding the component.

That is why 3D CAD services play a fundamental role here. With digital assembly validation, a team can perform simulation of different product attributes such as the level of fit, accessibility, tolerances, and service paths even before the products are manufactured. Any changes or additions made to the design should not only ensure the designer’s idea is completely realized but also make the product practical to assemble and maintain.

Designing for additive and hybrid manufacturing is not simply a matter of design freedom, but rather it necessitates engineering discipline. The shape has to be able to support the structure effectively, the materials must be able to withstand the requirements of the operations, and the constructions must still be easily serviceable and cost efficient. If these aspects are taken care of from the start, additive and hybrid manufacturing will provide real value to production instead of just giving individual gains.