What is Self-Assembly

Additive manufacturing is a strategy to produce parts with complex geometries whose process is prohibitive in cost or impossible through subtractive or formative techniques. Research groups are optimizing additive manufacturing processes to improve their performance and reduce the cost of aerospace parts. One of the emerging design techniques is self-assembly which seeks to reduce the number of parts to produce best design practices and rules. Self-assembly represents a comprehensive strategy that improves process time, product quality, cost of materials, and printability. The purpose of this chapter is to review the technological contributions that self-assembly has had in the additive manufacturing of aerospace parts. Future perspectives of the role of self-assembly in additive manufacturing are proposed. According to what was found in this research, self-assembly will facilitate the additive manufacturing of parts in various technological sectors where the manufacture of lightweight parts with high added value and restrictive regulations are required.