Introduction to Additive Manufacturing Using Polymers

1 Unit · Graduate

Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, refers to the fabrication of three-dimensional objects directly from computer aided design models through the sequential addition of materials. AM is transforming how products are designed, manufactured, and deployed across fields ranging from biomedical devices to aerospace systems. By enabling layer by layer fabrication with diverse functional materials, AM provides unprecedented flexibility in creating lightweight structures, multifunctional components, and geometrically complex architectures that are difficult or impossible to realize using conventional manufacturing methods.​ This course introduces the fundamental principles, major printing technologies, materials systems, and emerging applications of additive manufacturing. Strong emphasis will be placed on hands on experience, including computer aided design, process development, printer operation, fabrication, and characterization of printed parts. Through laboratory activities and design projects, students will gain practical experience in translating digital models into functional physical devices.​