Advantages of Additive Manufacturing based on Life Cycle Assessment

Life cycle assessment was used to compare two pump variants, one implementing a binder jetting manufactured component, and the other an equivalent part made by conventional techniques. The assessment confirmed that for production the additively manufactured (AM) part was significantly more climate intensive, although the picture was not the same for all impact categories, where some could favor AM. However, the advantage of AM became apparent in its improved functionality which resulted in energy savings during use. Over the whole lifetime of the pump, the variant implementing the AM component, displayed significant emissions savings, in all impact categories.