Study on Available Cloud Manufacturing Platforms for Additive Manufacturing Technologies

Abstract

Additive manufacturing technologies provided one of the most adaptable manufacturing processes for digital commissioning via the growing cloud manufacturing paradigm. This was facilitated by a low-complexity tool chain for the manufacturing process along the CAD-CAM chain and the process to be executed on the equipment. However, additive processes have grown far beyond the initial FDM processes and also offer more complex materials with unique properties in addition to other processes. The four most common manufacturing processes FDM, SLA, SLS, and SLM were used as a basis, and existing cloud manufacturing platforms offering all these four technologies as a bundle were gathered via a structured survey. Out of 42 platforms, 17 platforms were researched, filtered and analyzed using sample components and a catalog of requirements consisting of five requirement clusters: material, functional scope, final costs, delivery and user-friendliness. The results were weighted for each technology and finally evaluated in an overarching discussion. The achieved scores and the special features of a platform are discussed and a recommendation is made.