The Future of Additive Manufacturing - Research Paper

Introduction

Addictive manufacturing utilizes multiple processes and technologies to produce a digital and physical item using a three-dimensional (3-D) model. Unlike subtractive or traditional manufacturing that utilized the carving process to form the desired object from a large material, additive manufacturing develops a complex product through the combination of minuscule layers. These layers are made up of materials such as ceramic, resin, metal, plastic, and so on. Additive manufacturing has little retooling from product to product or from one process to the other. It is worthy to pinpoint that little retooling makes additive manufacturing flexible, a situation that enables the achievement of unmatched customization level. In this regard, a printed unit can produce an exclusively new and distinct item. Quintessentially, additive manufacturing will be a dominant production process in the long-run.

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The flexibility in additive manufacturing has made different sectors to adopt it. It is prudent to understand that additive manufacturing can produce distinct and new objects using a single printed unit. Predominantly, manufacturers have embraced additive manufacturing to produce tangible objects that require customization like medicine and so on. This manufacturing process has the potential of making the supply chain more responsive, more sustainable, leaner, and less wasteful. However, most manufacturers doubt if addictive manufacturing can replace the subtractive process, specifically under high volumes of production (Rogers, Baricz, & Pawar 889). Notably, subtractive or traditional manufacturing will continue to be a dominant process both in the medium and short-term. During this duration, additive manufacturing will serve as a complement to the existing production process.

There are decisive factors that hinder the widespread adoption of additive manufacturing in the contemporary industry. These factors include 3-D printer technical limitation, inadequate experience with adaptive manufacturing, and a high acquisition cost of the 3-D printer (Rogers et al. 889). It is also worthy to note that implementation of the adaptive manufacturing also relies on a two supply chain intersection. The first supply chain encompasses material vendors and machines. The other supply chain belongs to a firm that intends to buy 3-D printing tools. The two supply chains make adaptive manufacturing expensive. Thus, firms that intend to utilize adaptive manufacturing must purchase 3-D printing tools expensively. In this regard, companies have failed to embrace adaptive printing in the short-run fully.

In another research, Colosimo et al. note that adaptive manufacturing has quality challenges that hinder its spread and adoption in the short-run (233-252). They note that using adaptive manufacturing still faces complexity regarding the geometry of the product. For this reason, hidden features, as well as undercuts, can be printed out easily. Another challenge is that there is complexity in the optimization of a product. Notably, adaptive manufacturing involves phase-changing of materials which makes product optimization difficulty and complex. Another problem that has inhibited the company's ability to embrace adaptive manufacturing fully is the low-volume production as well as frequent design changes. These factors have made quality monitoring difficult due to the inability to collect sufficient and credible data for quality characterization. These challenges have made traditional manufacturing processes to continue their dominance in industries.

The interest in adaptive manufacturing has risen in recent years. Nevertheless, there are still challenges still exist regarding the technology. Many researchers have sought to establish the best way in which to integrate adaptive manufacturing with the industry. For adaptive manufacturing, these researchers note that business model changes should be such that they follow not only local manufacturing prospective, but also encompass new materials and designs (Oberg, Shams, & Asnafi 15). They also suggest that companies should make adaptive manufacturing dominant by repositioning themselves as far as the supply chain is concerned. They believe that by so doing, adaptive manufacturing will revolutionize the production process in industries in the long-run.

In another research, Colosimo et al. assert that with proper research, new developments in finite element modeling, process-planning methods, and computer-aided design can be instrumental in improving adaptive manufacturing and reducing the associated complexities (233-252). By so doing, adaptive manufacturing will surpass the subtractive process and become the ultimate dominant manufacturing process. On a similar note Rogers et al. observe that in the next one or more decades, the demand for 3-D printing services is expected to increase exponentially (889). This manufacturing process is expected to become the main drivers of the world's market growth.

Conclusion

In general, adaptive technology has a bright and prosperous future in replacing traditional manufacturing. Imperatively, the flexibility in additive manufacturing has made different sectors to adopt it. However, it has not been adopted extensively as the main manufacturing process in industries due to the inherent challenges associated with it. Typically, many people in the manufacturing sector have limited knowledge of 3-D printers. They are therefore unable to adapt and embrace adaptive manufacturing. Additionally, the high acquisition cost of a 3-D printer makes it difficult for most manufacturers to adopt the process. Moreover, adaptive manufacturing has quality challenges that hinder its spread and adoption in the short-run. Nonetheless, once these challenges are addressed through extensive research, adaptive manufacturing will be the most dominant production process in industries.

Works Cited

Colosimo, Bianca M., et al. "Opportunities and Challenges of Quality Engineering for Additive Manufacturing." Journal of Quality Technology 50.3 (2018): 233-252.

Oberg, Christina, Tawfiq Shams, and Nader Asnafi. "Additive Manufacturing and Business Models: Current Knowledge and Missing Perspectives." Technology Innovation Management Review 8.6 (2018): 15-33.

Rogers, Helen, Norbert Baricz, and Kulwant S. Pawar. "3D Printing Services: Classification, Supply Chain Implications, and Research Agenda." International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management 46.10 (2016): 886-907.