Cost Estimation for Product Manufacturing

In recent years, in the manufacturing industry, additive manufacturing (AM) is considered an advanced process with significant potential to replace or complement traditional manufacturing methods. AM is recognized as a modern technology that enables the production of complex geometric components with lightweight structures. However, selecting the most suitable technology for manufacturing a specific product involves challenging trade-offs. It is essential to conduct not only an environmental assessment but also an economic analysis to identify and select the optimal solution. This paper proposes a method for estimating manufacturing costs, which is a critical factor in decision-making when comparing different manufacturing processes. A case study involving the production of a spur gear using the Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) process and CNC process is presented to demonstrate the proposed cost estimation approach.