White Paper Compares Subtractive, Additive Technologies

According to a white paper by Roland DGA, the manufacturing world is changing dramatically as advanced technologies continue to facilitate “better, faster and cheaper” product design and development processes. The white paper looks at various strategies and technologies embraced by today’s market leaders to advance their processes.

Two shifts in manufacturing are fuelling a demand for in-house design and manufacturing tools, and for the technologies that facilitate them, says co-author Elizabeth Goode, president of Goodelnk. On the economic front, rising outsourcing costs are prompting companies to re-establish project teams and move those resources back in house. Second, more individual entrepreneurs and small businesses are entering the manufacturing industry set up for on-demand production, and are bringing new products to market faster.

The white paper compares the industry’s most advanced additive and subtractive rapid prototyping technologies, detailing the benefits and limitations of each. While the market share for additive technologies has grown recently, the industry is also seeing a movement toward subtractive technologies, such as Roland’s MDX series of benchtop CNC milling machines. According to the paper, subtractive systems can complement additive systems in several areas, providing ease-of-use, material flexibility, dimensional accuracy, smooth surface finishes and accurate simulation of actual manufacturing processes.

To obtain a copy of the white paper, call Roland at 800-542-2307 or visit rolanddga.com/whitepaper.