29/10/2026
For metal-AM components with thin walls or closely spaced ribs, handling belongs in the manufacturing plan.
A finished build still needs to move through removal, cleaning, finishing, inspection, and packaging. At each handoff, the team needs to know where the component can be supported and which features need protection.
For SLM/LPBF projects, useful preparation includes defining suitable contact areas, separating vulnerable features during storage, and communicating handling requirements to downstream teams.
This matters when complex prototypes become repeat orders: the same care needs to follow each batch through its production route.
A practical engineering review considers both how a metal component will be printed and how its geometry will be protected until delivery.
