Which of the following statements about using additive manufacturing (AM) as a secondary process for composite molding is true?

The statement that material extrusion processes can build soluble thermoplastic cores that are easily removed using a chemical bath is accurate within the context of additive manufacturing as a secondary process for composite molding. This approach allows for the creation of complex internal geometries that might not be possible with traditional manufacturing methods. The soluble cores serve as temporary structures, enabling the formation of lightweight, intricate designs and helping improve the overall efficiency of the part manufacturing process. By using a chemical bath, manufacturers can effectively remove these cores without damaging the surrounding composite material, making this technique particularly advantageous for creating sophisticated composite parts.

The other statements either overstate the capabilities of additive manufacturing or mischaracterize its applications, making them unsuitable in this context. For instance, the notion that additive manufacturing can replace all metalworking processes is overly broad and not true; while AM has its strengths, there are many applications where traditional techniques are more suitable. The claim about AM not being suitable for producing single-use components is misleading since AM is quite capable of producing such parts when required. Lastly, while AM can produce larger structures, it is also widely utilized for small to medium-sized components, making the assertion about size limitations not entirely accurate.