Business criteria for selection of 3d-printed components (SPARSAM)

Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D-printing, has been around for decades without impact on the supply chains. But the maturity of AM is today driving the development from being a tool for visualization and prototyping to industrial large-scale manufacturing of products and components. This development means that production can be moved closer to the customer, which makes it possible to transform the supply chains.

The transformation of the supply chains can be described in different scenarios. In this project, the values were evaluated based on the following scenarios:

• Scenario 1. Current situation: centralized mass production and global supply chain.
• Scenario 2. Factory: AM is introduced centrally in a factory, which enables e.g. demand-driven production.
• Scenario 3. Distribution center: production is distributed to a distribution center, which for example results in reduced long-distance transport and reduced inventory costs.
• Scenario 4. Retailers: the production is distributed to retailers, which enables, for example, shortened lead times and need-based production.

In order to identify which products are suitable for additive manufacturing, both technical and business selection criteria needed to be used. Today, the technical selection criteria dominates, such as complexity in form, need for low weight and potential for consolidation. Sustainability and business criteria such as reduced inventory, increased availability, fewer transports, improved resilience or lead time are often omitted because they are considered difficult to quantify or our of scope.

Project objectives

The purpose of Sustainability Parameters for Parts Analyses and Selection for AM, SPARSAM, was to explore the possibility of expanding the technical selection criteria for an additively manufactured component to include values related to supply chain and sustainability.

The project also aimed to accelerate the transformation of the linear supply chain toward a more resource-efficient and flexible production system, while incorporating a gender perspective.

Project implementation

The activity consisted of the following 4 work packages:

1. Establishment of collaboration and team
   Deliverable: High performing project team.
    
2. Current situation and knowledge
   Deliverable: Description of current state related to scenario 1-3.
    
3. Feasibility of supply chain model and selection parameters
   Deliverable: Feasibility of selection criteria’s and genus implications.
    
4. Identification of step 2-initiatives and dissemination
   Deliverable: Identification of research and innovation project relating to goals of the call. Dissemination via for example Application Center for Additive Manufacturing and Production2030.