ACADEMI

The Advanced Curriculum in Additive Design, Engineering and Manufacturing Innovation (ACADEMI) is a collaboration between America Makes, The Lanterman Group, and other members to help speed the transfer of business and technical knowledge for additive manufacturing (AM) technologies to industry.

About ACADEMI

ACADEMI is a comprehensive set of immersive training experiences with advanced AM curriculum, delivered in an intense, hands-on environment, integrating skills from multiple disciplines employed in Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) processes.

ACADEMI training experiences are application oriented — developed and taught by best-in-class industry and academic experts. ACADEMI incorporates research and development processes and techniques emerging from America Makes projects that are ready for implementation, making the content cutting edge and rigorous. The ACADEMI is a portfolio of DfAM-based courses, with a path towards industry certification.

ACADEMI: Metals Design for Additive Manufacturing

Course Description

In this course, we will explore advanced design, engineering, manufacturing, and processing techniques for additive manufacturing with metallic materials.

This five-day course encourages design and manufacturing engineers to explore new regions of design spaces. The course presents a Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) method that encompasses conceptual design, process selection, material science and later detailed design stages.

The course includes instructor-led lectures, discussions and hands-on lab exercises for additive manufacturing (AM) product development processes, software, design and optimization of metallic components.

The course is presented in an engaging environment that promotes innovative design thinking and concepts.

  • Learn to design components with novel AM metal materials and manufacturing methods utilizing advanced AM design techniques
  • Explore AM design and processing techniques for new efficient component designs and light-weight structures
  • Process an industry case-study through the entire DfAM workflow
  • Understand techniques to quantify trade-offs between cost, performance, and durability of designs
  • Identify appropriate opportunities for AM implementation
  • Gain awareness of advanced AM simulation and analysis software
  • Develop awareness of critical aspects of mature AM technologies – from design through post-processing (e.g., material selection, process selection, processing parameters, post-processing)
  • Understand basic operations of an industrial grade, powder-bed laser platform

This course employs a boot camp-style training method that is fast paced, technology immersive, and particularly experiential.

Learners should come prepared to participate enthusiastically, develop skills for creative thinking and to solve problems individually and in teams consisting of professionals from different engineering, material science, and manufacturing disciplines.

Lecture

(20%)

This course features technical discourse by subject matter experts that are conducting ground-breaking research in additive manufacturing, topology optimization, and lattice structure design. This unique approach affords students a distinctive opportunity to obtain insights from forerunners in the additive manufacturing research, education, and manufacturing disciplines.

Lab

(40%)

The lab work involves the use of a broad spectrum of engineering software including; professional computer aided design software, finite element analysis software, topology optimization tools, lattice structure design and manufacturing simulation software. Lab work will also include the use of various polymer-based prototyping platforms that will be used to iteratively build on training concepts and improve designs.

Hands-On

(40%)

This course will provide students with direct exposure to industrial-grade AM platforms that will be used for concept prototyping, iterative design development, build failure analysis, and final part printing. Students will learn basic operational tasks such as tool path optimization, feedstock handling, machine calibration, process parameter selection, part orientation, and support removal techniques.

Who Should Attend

ACADEMI courses are developed for designers, engineers, technicians, and all other disciplines needing a true hands-on experience focused on designing and producing products ideally suited for additive manufacturing. Learners with existing skills in Computer-Aided Design(CAD), structural analysis, and basic additive manufacturing knowledge will benefit the most from the lecture, lab, and hands-on prototyping activities involved in the experience.

The ACADEMI program is specifically geared to companies, government organizations, and individuals needing robust additive manufacturing training that cuts across disciplinary boundaries – such as materials science, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing engineering. Learners will become key enablers for a stronger additive manufacturing community of practice within their organization.

Prerequisites

Two (2) years professional experience or production-level experience with additive manufacturing and traditional manufacturing technologies. Basic proficiency with parametric solid modeling, familiarity with finite element and structural analysis.

Contact Us

For more information about ACADEMI or to schedule a customized experience for your organization, contact Anthony Hughes.