Features of Manufacturing Parts Using Additive Technologies from Metal Alloys. An Analytical Review

This article explores current scientific research on the machining process of parts manufactured using additive technologies. The paper presents a brief classification of metal alloys used in the field of additive manufacturing, as well as a classification of 3D printing technologies known to date. The opportunities provided by additive technologies are outlined. The advantages and disadvantages of additive manufacturing in general, and of the most common production methods in particular, are discussed. The results of scientific studies on the influence of printing layer orientation and anisotropy of the product’s microstructure on the machining process are analyzed. Attention is given to the machinability of parts. The lack of research on milling of parts produced by specific printing methods is highlighted. The necessity of conducting scientific research on the machining of titanium alloy Ti6Al4V parts produced by additive technologies is substantiated. 3D printing offers new approaches to the design and manufacturing of products. At this stage of technological development, it is impossible to replace or completely eliminate finish machining from the production chain due to drawbacks associated with thermal and mechanical processes during melting and/or sintering of the material, as well as due to high requirements for surface roughness, dimensional accuracy, and geometric precision of critical surfaces. There remain significant aspects that require further development, optimization, improvement, and investigation. A telling example of this is that leading universities around the world are incorporating credit-bearing modules on hybrid additive-subtractive manufacturing into their educational programs at all levels of higher education.