Augmented Design with Additive Manufacturing Methodology: Tangible Object-Based Method to Enhance Creativity in...

Area of Science:

• Engineering
• Product Design
• Manufacturing Technology

Background:

• Traditional manufacturing knowledge acts as a cognitive barrier to adopting additive manufacturing (AM) design principles.
• Existing Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) methods often neglect the crucial early ideation phase, limiting innovation.
• Tangible tools can foster creativity, but often lack both inspirational and formative qualities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a new methodology, ADAM² (Augmented Design with AM Methodology), designed to capture AM's design potential during the early ideation stages.
• To provide a structured approach for designers to generate innovative product concepts by integrating sector-specific knowledge with AM capabilities.
• To validate the effectiveness of the ADAM² methodology in a real-world industrial setting.

Main Methods:

• The ADAM² methodology utilizes 14 defined AM opportunities, each represented by an inspirational object.
• It facilitates creativity sessions by forcing associations between a company's industry knowledge and the specific potentials of AM.
• The methodology was applied and validated through an industrial case study in the jewelry and watchmaking sector.

Main Results:

• The ADAM² methodology effectively promotes the generation of creative solutions.
• It enables designers to better exploit the unique design potential offered by additive manufacturing.
• The approach proved successful in enhancing innovation during the early stages of product design.

Conclusions:

• The ADAM² methodology offers a valuable framework for overcoming cognitive barriers in AM design.
• It successfully integrates tangible tools with a structured approach to foster innovation in early-stage design.
• ADAM² empowers designers to unlock the full potential of AM for creative product development.