PRINT SPEED AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR METAL ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

The article deals with issues which occur when using different types of basic print speeds in metal additive manufacturing. It describes their importance, mutual relationships and their influence on the quality of pieces manufactured using this technology. The ability to manage the speed of the additive manufacturing process allows us not only to effectively improve print quality but also, for example, to reduce the volume of necessary support structures. It thus speeds up the whole printing process, minimizes material waste, and reduces the need for any finishing operations which may be necessary for achieving the required final properties of the printed parts. In this context, the connection between the quality and the speed of additive manufacturing is demonstrated in a simple experiment using Powder Bed Fusion technology (PBF) in which the effect of the print speed on various low-angled flat surfaces is observed.