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Seven Process Families Explorer

Scaffold

This MicroSim has been scaffolded from its specification. The interactive implementation has not been built yet.

Learning Objective

Identify and explain each of the seven ISO/ASTM 52900 AM process categories by feedstock type, energy source, and representative technology (Bloom L1–L2: recall, classify).

  • Bloom Level: TBD
  • Bloom Verb: TBD
  • Library: p5.js

Preview

Run MicroSim in Fullscreen

Specification

The full specification below is extracted from Chapter 2: AM Standards, Process Families, and Industrial AM.

Type: interactive-infographic
**sim-id:** seven-am-processes-explorer<br/>
**Library:** p5.js<br/>
**Status:** Specified

**Learning objective:** Identify and explain each of the seven ISO/ASTM 52900 AM process categories by feedstock type, energy source, and representative technology (Bloom L1–L2: recall, classify).

**Description:** A radial hub-and-spoke infographic centered on a "ISO/ASTM 52900" hub node. Seven labeled spokes radiate outward to category nodes, each containing the category name and a small icon representing the feedstock type (filament spool, resin vat, powder bed, droplets, powder + binder, wire/powder nozzle, sheets stack).

**Layout (700 × 600 px, responsive):**
- Center hub: Dark circle labeled "AM Process Categories" (ISO/ASTM 52900)
- 7 category nodes arranged in a ring at radius ~220 px, evenly spaced
- Each node: Rounded rectangle with category name (bold), feedstock icon below
- Color coding: Each category has a distinct hue (Material Extrusion = blue, Vat Photo = purple, PBF = orange, Material Jetting = teal, Binder Jetting = green, DED = red, Sheet Lamination = brown)

**Interactions:**
- Clicking any category node expands a detail panel below the diagram (or to the right on wide screens) showing:
  - Category name and formal ISO/ASTM 52900 definition
  - How material is joined (one sentence)
  - Two representative technologies/machines
  - Typical materials
  - One-line description of best use case
- The selected node glows with a halo effect. Previous selection dims.
- A "Compare Two" mode: click one node, then shift-click another to view a side-by-side comparison of the two categories.

**Responsive behavior:** On narrow screens (< 500 px), the radial layout collapses to a vertical list with the same clickable detail panels.

**Color scheme:** Soft pastel node backgrounds with dark text; white center hub on dark background.