The Role of New Methods in Additive Manufacturing

 

New methods in additive manufacturing such as 3D printing are still in an early stage of research, but it has become apparent that they will replace subtractive processes in automated industry (CNC machines and CNC robots).

Methods of 3D printing are expanding in new areas such as biology (DNA printing), medicine (implant and organ printing), and architecture (new use of forms). This is also inspiring for materials research and could cause a breakthrough in the application of nanotechnology.

These new manufacturing methods challenge both theory of science and philosophy of technology, since classic epistemic methods (theory, experiment) are replaced by new forms of the advancement of knowledge (design, data analysis).