Work

Evaluating the suitability of niches for additive manufacturing production: proposal for a numeric evaluation tool

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Additive manufacturing (AM) is a wide set of technologies that can be used for many different scopes. AM is now a well-integrated prototyping and development tool in most industrial endeavours, while proper end-product manufacturing has only seen very specific niche successes. Given the complexity of AM’s matrix, which is full of discontinuities and non-trivial intercorrelations that play a relevant role in product design and development, it should not come as a surprise that not many end-product applications have succeeded in making use of it. This paper argues that understanding AM’s complex matrix and correctly identifying suitable production niches for it are key elements of this issue, a topic for which existing literature and tools are scarce. The analysis of AM’s status quo for end-product manufacturing and the review of existing approaches to integrate these technologies with product development are the basis used in this paper to propose a suitability assessment tool to fill this knowledge gap.

Source: The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology

DOI: 10.1007/s00170-024-14593-6

Author: Ricardo Simian

Institution: Oslo School of Architecture and Design

Language: English

Topic: Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies

Subfield: Automotive Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,790