Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM)
Unlock the Full Potential of Additive Manufacturing
​
At APWORKS, our Design & Build service helps you transform product concepts into topology-optimized, production-ready metal components—engineered specifically for 3D printing in high-performance materials like Scalmalloy®
​
We combine deep expertise in aerospace-grade metal AM, reverse engineering, and functional lightweight design to ensure your parts are not only printable—but outperform conventional solutions.
Whether you're redesigning a component for weight reduction, need to rebuild legacy parts without CAD, or want to push the boundaries of structural design, our engineers are ready to help.
​
REVERSE ENGINEERING
Bringing legacy parts into the future. Need to reproduce a part without CAD or tooling? No problem.
Additive Manufacturing allows low-volume, high-complexity parts without mold costs—ideal for obsolete or custom legacy components.
​
We specialize in:
-
3D scanning of physical parts
-
Reverse engineering from legacy hardware
-
Full digital twin creation for production-ready designs
DESIGN OPTIMISATION
Design smarter, print better.
The best AM parts are designed from the start for AM. We apply topology optimization, advanced CAE, and load-path-driven design to reduce weight, improve performance, and eliminate unnecessary material.
​
-
CAE-driven geometry development
-
Scalmalloy®, AlSi10Mg, Inconel-ready design practices
-
Integrated lattice or organic structures
DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURE
Even high-performing parts must be printable and economical. Our engineers can support you in turning a great concept into a viable and producible product.
We review your concept for:
-
Printability (orientation, support, tolerances)
-
Post-Processing
-
Design-to-Cost
-
Robustness in serial production
​
We help to make your design feasible for production rather than just prototyping.
OBJECTIVES CAPTURE
Before we begin designing for Additive Manufacturing (AM), we take time to understand your objectives and context. This step is critical to ensure your project is viable and optimized for success.
​
You don’t need to have everything ready, we’ll guide you, but the following are helpful starting points:
-
Existing product specifications
-
Functional requirement definitions
​
Why It Matters:
Legacy designs often include non-critical constraints that limit AM potential—or miss crucial assumptions (e.g. installation loads, fatigue conditions) that need to be revalidated.
​
We work with your team to:
-
Separate true engineering requirements from inherited assumptions
-
Ensure the design is fit for AM, both technically and economically
-
Uncover opportunities to simplify, optimize, or consolidate parts
Is your objective to produce a part you have already designed for AM?
No Problem - check out our Build to Print Service
REVERSE ENGINEERING
Breathe New Life Into Legacy Components
​
Have a broken or obsolete part with no CAD or technical drawings?
No problem.
​
Our Reverse Engineering service helps you recreate or improve components for systems that are no longer supported—without needing original design files.
​
We use:
-
3D scanning to capture complex geometries
-
Surface reconstruction for functional or aesthetic replication
-
Design equivalence or optimization, based on your goals
Whether you want a drop-in replacement, or a redesigned performance upgrade, we combine in-house expertise and a network of trusted partners to handle even the most demanding projects.
From a scanned casting to a fully functional CAD model—ready for AM.
​
Need more than replication? Let us help you upgrade your part through our Design Optimisation service.
DESIGN OPTIMISATION
Unlock the Full Potential of Additive Manufacturing
​
At APWORKS, we fuse world-class CAE expertise with cutting-edge Additive Manufacturing to deliver performance-optimized parts that push the limits of design.
​
Born from an OEM environment, we bring enterprise-grade tools and methods to every project—regardless of your size. Even small and mid-sized companies can benefit from our engineering horsepower.
​
What We Offer:
-
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics)
-
FEA (Finite Element Analysis)
-
Topology Optimization
-
Process Simulation
-
Multi-Disciplinary Design Optimization (MDO)
-
CAD development with AM best practices
​
Whether you're improving an existing component or designing something entirely new, our engineers help you minimize weight, maximize performance, and ensure your part is truly made for AM.
Performance isn’t optional. It’s engineered in.
DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURE
Making Sure Great Designs Actually Get Built
​
It’s one thing to design a high-performance part. It’s another to ensure it can actually be manufactured efficiently and reliably.
​
At APWORKS, we don’t stop at digital theory. Our Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) process ensures your optimized design is:
-
Printable without unnecessary support structures
-
Compatible with post-processing like CNC, heat treatment, and finishing
-
Suited for assembly and downstream use cases
​
Breaking the Myth
​
Many believe AM allows you to “print anything.” But additive has its own constraints—just different ones. We consider:
​
-
Minimum wall thicknesses
-
Overhang and orientation limits
-
Support removal and tool access
-
Surface finish and post-processing needs
-
Cost/performance trade-offs
​
We apply our internal DfAM playbook, refined through years of producing real, functional AM parts for demanding industries.
A part that’s well-designed for manufacture is also optimized for cost and reliability.