Additive Manufacturing and Tooling Project
Overview
Additive Manufacturing is a new manufacturing technology of creating physical objects by adding materials, usually layer by layer, directly from computer aided design data, as opposed to conventional machining or casting processes. It was also known as rapid prototyping or freeform fabrication process. Rapid tooling is the application of rapid prototyping techniques in the development and delivery of tooling for material deformation processes in the shorter time duration compared to conventional methods. This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of advanced technologies in additive manufacturing and tooling, which play a significant role in reducing the lead time and cost in bringing new products to markets. Further, it provides students with industry engaged projects for students to apply the knowledge they gain.
Requisites
Assumed Knowledge
Basic Computer Skills
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Describe the emerging technologies of additive manufacturing, rapid manufacturing and rapid tooling
- Generate a degree of competency in the evaluation of various rapid manufacturing and rapid tooling technologies and their application in modern manufacturing processes
- Discuss emerging techniques and advances in materials in injection moulding processes
- Demonstrate significance of plastic filling simulation software to improve the performance of injection moulding
- Apply their knowledge of additive manufacturing and rapid tooling to industry projects
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Type | Hours per week | Number of weeks | Total (number of hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-Campus Lecture |
1.33 | 12 weeks | 16 |
| On-Campus Class |
1.67 | 12 weeks | 20 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning |
22.00 | 12 weeks | 264 |
| TOTAL | 300 |
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3 |
| Project Report | Group | 60% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
Hurdle
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:
As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all Unit Learning Outcomes to a minimum standard, a student must achieve:
(i) an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and
(ii) obtain at least 40% in the final Assessment
Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement (ii) will receive a maximum of 44% as the total mark for the unit and will not be eligible for a conceded pass.
Content
- Introduction to Additive Manufacturing (AM)/Rapid Prototyping/Rapid Manufacturing (RM)
- Design issues in Rapid Prototyping and Additive Manufacturing
- Emerging Additive Manufacturing Processes (Liquid based, powder based, solid based processes)
- Material Issues in AM: Functionally Graded Materials, designed materials
- Direct and Indirect Rapid tooling (RT) techniques
- Applications of AM and RT: Bio-medical, Automotive, Aeronautical, Construction
- Injection Moulding Processes and Tooling: advanced processes, materials selection
- Injection Moulding Plastic Filling Simulation
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.