Providing a knowledge-based design catalog as an approach to support the development of design for additive manufacturing skills

Abstract

Proficiency in design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) requires training and a lot of trial and error. To support the development of DfAM skills, we redesigned 47 design artifacts from case studies and derived tacit knowledge from successful and unsuccessful redesigns. All knowledge about these artifacts was then collected in a design catalog. In a workshop with a total of 48 graduates and students, 45 participants deemed the design catalog supportive. After evaluating their designs, we concluded that the use of a knowledge-based design catalog can develop and improve individual DfAM skills.