Research Article
Additive Manufacturing Technologies: An Overview about 3D Printing Methods and Future Prospects
Table 12
Decision variables when choosing a prototyping technology.
| CHARACTERISTICS | SPECIFICATIONS TO BE CONSIDERED |
| COSTS | Price of the machine (including post-production and maintenance) | Unitary model cost | Cost of training qualified operators | Control and modelling software | Annual maintenance cost |
| DIMENSIONS | Workspace | Dimensions of the machine | Weight of the machine | Noise level | Mandatory accessories |
| WORK MATERIAL | Colour or number of colours, transparency | Possibility of recycling material | Technical characteristics of the material | Working temperature |
| PRECISION | Precision | Height/Thickness of layer | Minimum detail size | Resolution | Minimum wall thickness |
| OTHERS | Vertical working speed | Network/On-line connection | Files supported, scope of the software associated with the machine | Adaptability to accessories | User friendliness (ease of handling and maintenance) |
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