Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing: Complementary or Rivals?

While more and more companies are opting for additive manufacturing, subtractive manufacturing is still the most widely used method in industry. Meanwhile, 3D printing is currently mainly used to complement subtractive manufacturing methods. However, as the name suggests, unlike additive manufacturing, these techniques consist of removing material to produce a part of the desired size. They are now deployed in many industries, such as aeronautics, automotive, metallurgy, etc. We took a closer look at the differences between subtractive and additive manufacturing as well as how they can be used to complement each other.

To start, it is important to know that just like additive manufacturing and its multiple processes, many subtractive manufacturing methods exist – you’ve probably heard for example the term “CNC machining.” An acronym for Computer Numerical Control, it covers material removal techniques based on a digital program that controls the machine tools. We are talking about drilling, turning, milling or boring. CNC machining is now compatible with a wide range of materials, from plastics to metals. That being said, not all subtractive manufacturing techniques use a numerical program, further down we will cover some of the most popular cutting methods as well.

Photo Credits: Protolabs

What is CNC Machining?

CNC machining includes several processes; we will start with turning and boring. These processes use a moving part on a rotating axis. The energy required to machine the part is provided by the movement of the part itself. These methods make it possible to manufacture any parts that are modeled by rotation. In concrete terms, it is a 2D drawing that is replicated ad infinitum along an axis of rotation, thus forming a 3D model. Despite their different names, turning and boring are very similar since they both use the same principle. The main difference is that boring works on the inside of the part while turning works on the outside. Allowing the design of parts from wood, metals and certain plastics, turning and boring machines are now present in many industries, such as the automotive, aerospace, medical or even decor sectors.