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Additive Manufacturing vs. Stamping: Performance and Economic Crossover Analysis

Sophia Hekman

Project Timeline

Oct 2025 - Nov-2025

OVERVIEW

Investigated the viability of replacing a commercially available, high-volume metal stamped bracket (Galvanized Low-Carbon Steel) with 3D-printed plastic alternatives for low-volume, specialized applications. The goal was to identify the economic and mechanical crossover point where the zero-tooling cost of additive manufacturing justifies the higher per-part material cost.

HighlightS

Validated Additive Manufacturing: Conclusively proved that specific 3D-printed composites (Markforged Onyx with continuous fiberglass and PETG) could match the maximum load capacity of the commercial steel bracket.
Engineered Custom Testing: Designed and fabricated a specialized testing rig and executed Static Load Tests using an Instron machine to accurately replicate real-world fence-post loading and record force vs. deflection data.
Advanced Analysis: Utilized SolidWorks FEA to predict stress distributions and potential failure points on CAD models, guiding material selection and test setup.
Identified Key Trade-offs: Determined that 3D printing successfully eliminates $15k–$60k in tooling costs and drastically reduces lead times, but introduces the risk of brittle failure modes versus the metal's ductile yield.

SKILLS

Materials Selection & CharacterizationAdditive Manufacturing (3D Printing)Mechanical Testing (Instron)Fixture/Test Rig DesignSolidWorks (CAD/FEA)Cost Analysis / Economic JustificationDesign of Experiments (DoE)Technical Report WritingTeam CollaborationFailure Analysis (Brittle vs. Ductile)

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Project Presentation

Additional Details

A measuring tape and a metal clamp

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Galvanized Steel Post Deformation

Galvanized Steel Load vs. Extension Curve

A measuring tape and a white object

AI-generated content may be incorrect. A measuring tape and a plastic piece

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Figure 5: TPU Post Deformation and Failure Point

TPU Load vs. Extension Curve

A transparent object with yellow and purple handles

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Fiberglass Inlay Pattern, FEA Results, Markforged Post Deformation

Markforged Onyx with Fiberglass Inlay Load vs. Extension Curve

A tape measure next to a white piece of paper

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PETG Post Deformation

PETG Load vs. Extension Curve

Markforged, PETG, and Steel Load vs. Extension Curve Comparison

Cost Comparison of Low-Volume Production

Cost Comparison of High-Volume Production

A close-up of a measuring tape

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Deformation of Testing Rig

A close-up of a machine

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Testing Rig Setup

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