Material consumption capacity as a technology index for manufacturability in the production when using additive technology methods

Ways of characterization for material consumption capacity of products manufacture using additive technologies (AT) is viewed in the article. The research conducted on this topic by various authors in relation to additive manufacturing is discussed. The methods of calculating the material consumption capacity are analyzed, conclusions concerning previous studies are drawn. The calculations of the material consumption capacity for a full set of components were made using two different techniques – machine working and the AT method. The material utilization ratios are found, the cost of materials spent on the manufacture of parts by machine working and using AT technique is calculated. A comparative analysis of the cost of raw material was carried out. Conclusions are drawn about the impossibility of an unambiguous preference for the choice of manufacturing parts based on such criteria as the material utilization ratio. It has been concluded that further research of the manufacturability of products using AT is quite indispensable.