T4-A: A Comparative Study on Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing

The objective of this study is to effectively use Additive Manufacturing (AM) techniques (3D printing) and Subtractive Manufacturing (SM) techniques (CNC machining) and compare and contrast the process parameters and quality of parts produced. In particular, produce the exact same part on two different machines: MakerBot Replicator 2X (AM), and Roland 3D CNC Milling Machine (SM). The study provides details on the methodology of each manufacturing process, the actual processes used, the parts produced, and the measurements made on each produced part. The AM and SM were evaluated for the setup process of each method (number of steps and setup time), ease of use, printing/ machining speed, accuracy, surface finish, and percentage of material waste. Results obtained from students’ hands-on projects were presented and discussed. Some of the difficulties encountered and the learning experience from the student team are also presented and discussed