Additive & Subtractive Manufacturing
3 Minutes · Module 1 - Types of Manufacturing
Additive and subtractive manufacturing explained for students, comparing layer addition and material carving. A Tamil technology lesson.
- Clay pot and rock sculpture examples of manufacturing
- Materials and low wastage in additive manufacturing
- Material removal, CNC tools, and cost in subtractive methods
What this lesson teaches
Additive manufacturing and subtractive manufacturing are two primary methods used to create three-dimensional objects. Additive manufacturing builds an object by adding material layer upon layer, whereas subtractive manufacturing creates an object by removing material from a larger solid block.
Examples from everyday life
- Making a clay pot is an additive process because a maker shapes the pot by adding clay layer on top of layer.
- Carving a sculpture out of a large rock represents subtractive manufacturing because the artist chisels away small pieces of stone until the figure appears.
- Everyday items around us, including tables, screws, and bolts, are made using subtractive manufacturing.
How additive manufacturing works
Additive manufacturing forms three-dimensional shapes by placing material down in layers. This approach is well suited for materials with low melting points, including plastic, gold, and titanium. One major advantage of this method is that material wastage is kept extremely low. Because of this efficiency, additive manufacturing is used extensively in 3D printing, aerospace, medical fields, transportation, energy conservation, and everyday consumer products.
How subtractive manufacturing works
Subtractive manufacturing starts with a large solid block and strips away material layer by layer to form the final object. This removal can be carried out through manual shaping, traditional machines, or computer numerical control machines known as CNC machines. It is especially well suited for producing metal-related three-dimensional objects.
Waste, cost, and shape limitations
Subtractive manufacturing produces a large amount of material waste because material is carved away and discarded layer by layer. Because of this, subtractive manufacturing is considered more costly when compared to additive manufacturing. Cutting away from a solid block also means subtractive manufacturing is not the preferred choice for making complex objects, although objects can still be produced within certain limitations. In contrast, additive manufacturing keeps material wastage very low.
Part of the course
3D Printing