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What is Hybrid Manufacturing?

The manufacturing world is evolving at a very rapid pace. Manufacturing methods are evolving for more sustainable, innovative, and efficient ways. One of such exciting innovations that has taken place in the manufacturing world is the introduction of hybrid manufacturing. From its inception, the manufacturing method has been capable of changing how we design and build things in different manufacturing shops. But like any other technology, hybrid manufacturing has its own pros and cons. So, in this blog, we will be discussing everything about Hybrid manufacturing, from its definition to its advantages and disadvantages.

What is Hybrid Manufacturing?

Let’s start with understanding what hybrid manufacturing is. Hybrid manufacturing is the integration of additive and subtractive manufacturing into a single system. Additive manufacturing builds objects layer by layer using different materials like polymers, metal powders, and composites. Subtractive manufacturing is the removal of material from a workpiece to achieve precise dimensions or finishes. A hybrid machine helps in getting both processes done in the same workspace without shifting the workpiece from one machine to another.

Why Was Hybrid Manufacturing Developed?

Hybrid manufacturing was developed to be a remedy to the shortcomings of both the additive and subtractive manufacturing methods.

Limitations of additive manufacturing: lower accuracy, poor surface finish, and sometimes weaker mechanical properties.
Limitations of subtractive manufacturing: difficulty in machining complex geometries, high material wastage, and longer lead times.

As a remedy to these problems of additive and subtractive manufacturing, hybrid manufacturing offers: design freedom of 3D printing, precision and surface quality of CNC machining, and efficiency of a single setup.

How Does Hybrid Manufacturing Work?

The hybrid manufacturing workflow looks like this:

Designing a digital model with the help of CAD software.
In the additive stage, the machine deposits material layer by layer. For metals, this might be laser metal deposition or directed energy deposition (DED).
In the subtractive stage, the same machine then uses CNC tools to machine the surfaces, drill holes, or refine dimensions.
Finally, you can repeat the different additive and subtractive steps for producing the final product with perfection.

Advantages of Hybrid Manufacturing:

Now, let’s discuss what are the major advantages of hybrid manufacturing that have made it so popular among the machinists:

Geometric freedom: The first and foremost advantage of hybrid manufacturing is the unmatched geometric freedom you get for doing new, innovative designs. It enables the creation of intricate internal designs, lattice structures, and undercuts that can impossible to be done using traditional machining alone.
Reduced material waste: When working with costly materials, reducing scrap work becomes a really important thing. But CNC machining often removes a lot of raw material, while additive manufacturing can build what’s needed on top of one thing, but hybrid manufacturing brings a neutral approach. This helps in huge cost savings for the manufacturers.
Superior material quality: One of the major drawbacks of CNC subtractive manufacturing is rough surface finish in most machines, which can be solved with the help of hybrid manufacturing. The low-dimensional accuracy problems can also be resolved with hybrid machining.
Reduced lead times: When both processes can be done in a single setup of one machine, then the whole manufacturing time comes down. It also reduces the risk of error due to manual intervention, and can get the whole product done in a short time with both processes being applied simultaneously.
Customization: In case you want to customly manufacture a product by adding materials to it or cutting it in a particular way, then the hybrid manufacturing machines become a great choice for you. Remachining or innovative designing becomes much easier with the help of hybrid manufacturing.

Disadvantages of Hybrid Manufacturing:

Here are some of the major drawbacks of the hybrid manufacturing method:

High initial investment: One of the major drawbacks of hybrid manufacturing is the extremely high price of these machines. The initial investment amount just shoots up to the skies when buying these machines, as some can be priced in millions. They are highly expensive compared to CNC machines and 3D printers.
Process complexity: The process of manufacturing by integrating both additive manufacturing and CNC machining is actually a very complex job. The initial setup is tough, and making the designs and the whole engineering process is also tough.
Material compatibility: Not all materials are compatible with both additive and subtractive manufacturing, so hybrid manufacturing gets tough. Most current hybrid manufacturing systems focus on metals like nickel, stainless steel, and titanium.

Who Should Consider Hybrid Manufacturing?

Hybrid manufacturing is not a one step solution for different problems, but it excels in applications like:

Companies in the aerospace, defense, and energy sectors where high value parts justify the costs.
R&D labs where new innovative designs are made with new complex machining styles.
Extremely tight tolerances are needed for complex geometric products.
Tool and die manufacturers who can save money by repairing molds.

Conclusion:

Hybrid manufacturing represents the best of both manufacturing worlds in today’s manufacturing scenario. The flexibility makes it a great choice for manufacturers all around the world, but then the pricing and material compatibility become a hurdle. So, if you think you can’t afford a hybrid machine and want a used CNC machine, check our collection of several machines.