Requirements for large-scale adoption of rapid manufacturing technologies

Abstract

Despite the use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies in a lot of applications including the production of some high-value products for end use, it is still very much an untapped potential. There is an increase in usage of AM technology for the manufacture of end-use products (Rapid Manufacturing (RM)) in recent years, but mass use of the technology in terms of speed, cost and quality, which is acceptable by the general consumer, is still not widely in existence today. The concept of RM as a viable production process is still not understood by many businesses/consumers, with thinking still dominated by the AM technologies for Rapid Prototyping (RP) applications. A key difference between RM and RP is in the supply chain. The RM supply chain is much more complicated than the RP supply chain. This research conducted a Delphi Study to identify the requirements or pre-requisites necessary for the use of RM technologies as a viable means to manufacture end used products (RM application of AM) in mass scale. The paper identifies 36 requirements or pre-requisites and classified them into various classes of importance in order to highlight their significance. In addition to supply chain issues, the requirements unearthed are factors or features about RM technology (equipment), materials and processes that need modification, upgrading or creation.

Keywords:

• Rapid manufacturing
• additive manufacturing
• rapid prototyping
• supply chain
• technology
• Delphi study

PUBLIC INTEREST STATEMENT

Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes can be defined as semi-automated systems that take two-dimensional (2-D) layers of computer data and rebuild them into three-dimensional (3D) solid objects. AM differs from more traditional production technologies in that the modus operandi is not subtractive or formative, but rather is additive in the way it layers up parts during manufacture. Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies are used in some applications including the production of some high-value products for end use; however, it is still very much an untapped potential. This research conducted a Delphi Study to identify the requirements or pre-requisites necessary for the use of AM technologies as a viable means to manufacture end used products in mass scale.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the European Regional Development Fund Rapid Manufacturing North West Project [X01700PR].

Notes on contributors

Saad Hasan

Saad Hasan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Operations and Supply Chain Management at the American International University-Bangladesh. He completed his PhD degree in Supply Chain Management under a European Union funded FP7 project from the Open University, UK. In addition, he holds a MSc in Engineering Degree from the Lancaster University, UK.

Dr. Hasan have teaching, research, project management, and coordination and delivery experience related to operations and supply chain management in academic and industry settings in the UK and Bangladesh. Some of the major research projects he has been involved with includes CONVERGE (EU funded), Etoile, (EU (funded), Unite (UK) etc. In addition, Dr. Hasan has provided research consultancy on UK construction supply chain during his tenure at the National Energy Foundation (UK),

Dr. Hasan’s research interest includes operations management, supply chain management, manufacturing strategies, business model development, process engineering, and technology management.