In the context of the optimization strategies within additive manufacturing, what does local optimization seek to address?

Local optimization in additive manufacturing focuses on improving specific issues in the printing parameters. This approach entails making adjustments to particular aspects of the printing process, such as temperature, speed, layer thickness, and cooling rates, to enhance the quality of the printed object. By refining these localized factors, manufacturers can address problems that might lead to defects or inefficiencies in the final product.

This contrasts with other approaches that might take a broader perspective, such as global optimization, which would consider overall trends or system-level improvements, or the overall product design, which involves a more holistic redesign of the object being produced. Additionally, while supply chain management deals with the logistics and processes needed to bring materials and components together for manufacturing, local optimization specifically hones in on how the additive manufacturing process itself can be fine-tuned for better outcomes.