Additive manufacturing of steel for digital spare parts – A perspective on carbon emissions for decentral production

AbstractMankind is setting to colonize space, for which the manufacturing of habitats, tools, spare parts and other infrastructure is required. Commercial manufacturing processes are already well engineered under standard conditions on Earth, which means under Earth’s gravity and atmosphere. Based on the literature review, additive manufacturing under lunar and other space gravitational conditions have only been researched to a very limited extent. Especially, additive manufacturing offers many advantages, as it can produce complex structures while saving resources. The materials used do not have to be taken along on the mission, they can even be mined and processed on-site. The Einstein-Elevator offers a unique test environment for experiments under different gravitational conditions. Laser experiments on selectively melting regolith simulant are successfully conducted under lunar gravity and microgravity. The created samples are characterized in terms of their geometry, mass and porosity. These experiments are the first additive manufacturing tests under lunar gravity worldwide.

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A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO REDUCE DESIGN ITERATIONS IN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Proceedings of the Design Society ◽

10.1017/pds.2021.24 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1 ◽

pp. 231-240

Author(s):

Laura Wirths ◽

Matthias Bleckmann ◽

Kristin Paetzold

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Spare Parts ◽

Design Guidelines ◽

Final Part ◽

Layer By Layer ◽

Powder Bed ◽

Batch Sizes ◽

Manufacturing Technologies ◽

Structured Approach ◽

Design Freedom

AbstractAdditive Manufacturing technologies are based on a layer-by-layer build-up. This offers the possibility to design complex geometries or to integrate functionalities in the part. Nevertheless, limitations given by the manufacturing process apply to the geometric design freedom. These limitations are often unknown due to a lack of knowledge of the cause-effect relationships of the process. Currently, this leads to many iterations until the final part fulfils its functionality. Particularly for small batch sizes, producing the part at the first attempt is very important. In this study, a structured approach to reduce the design iterations is presented. Therefore, the cause-effect relationships are systematically established and analysed in detail. Based on this knowledge, design guidelines can be derived. These guidelines consider process limitations and help to reduce the iterations for the final part production. In order to illustrate the approach, the spare parts production via laser powder bed fusion is used as an example.

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Improving effectiveness of spare parts supply by additive manufacturing as dual sourcing option

OR Spectrum ◽

10.1007/s00291-020-00608-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

N. Knofius ◽

M. C. van der Heijden ◽

A. Sleptchenko ◽

W. H. M. Zijm

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Spare Parts ◽

Aviation Industry ◽

Failure Behavior ◽

Dual Sourcing ◽

Production Methods ◽

Holding Costs ◽

Unit Costs ◽

Single Sourcing ◽

Low Volume

Abstract The low-volume spare parts business is often identified as a potential beneficiary of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. Currently, high AM unit costs or low AM part reliabilities deem the application of AM economical inferior to conventional manufacturing (CM) methods in most cases. In this paper, we investigate the potential to overcome these deficiencies by combining AM and CM methods. For that purpose, we develop an approach that is tailored toward the unique characteristics of dual sourcing with two production methods. Opposed to the traditional dual sourcing literature, we consider the different failure behavior of parts produced by AM and CM methods. Using numerical experiments and a case study in the aviation industry, we explore under which conditions dual sourcing with AM performs best. Single sourcing with AM methods typically leads to higher purchasing and maintenance costs while single sourcing with CM methods increases backorder and holding costs. Savings of more than 30% compared to the best single sourcing option are possible even if the reliability or unit costs of a part sourced with AM are three times worse than for a CM part. In conclusion, dual sourcing methods may play an important role to exploit the benefits of AM methods while avoiding its drawbacks in the low-volume spare parts business.

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Digitalisierung von additiven Fertigungseinheiten/Digitalization of additive manufacturing units

wt Werkstattstechnik online ◽

10.37544/1436-4980-2021-09-59 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 111 (09) ◽

pp. 633-637

Author(s):

Maximilian Vogt ◽

Julian Ulrich Weber ◽

Vishnuu Jothi Prakash

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Feasible Solution ◽

Spare Parts ◽

Assistance System ◽

Remote Locations ◽

Assistance Systems ◽

Mobile Manufacturing ◽

Manufacturing Technologies

Additive Fertigungstechnologien erlauben die bedarfsgerechte Produktion von individuellen Ersatzteilen. Durch Einsatz mobiler Fertigungseinheiten lässt sich mithilfe dieser Verfahren die Resilienz von isolierten Produktionsstätten erhöhen. Um auch außerfachliches Personal zur Bedienung an entlegenen Einsatzorten zu befähigen, stellen digitale Assistenzsysteme eine mögliche Lösung dar. In diesem Beitrag wird ein solches Assistenzsystem zur Begleitung der manuellen Tätigkeiten beim roboterbasierten DED-Prozess in einer mobilen Fertigungseinheit diskutiert.   Additive manufacturing technologies enable the demand-driven production of individual spare parts. By using mobile manufacturing units, these processes can be used to increase the resilience of isolated production sites. In order to enable non-specialized personnel to operate at remote locations, digital assistance systems are a feasible solution. This paper discusses such an assistance system to accompany manual operations of the robot-based DED process in a mobile manufacturing unit.

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Modeling and analysis of the on-demand spare parts supply using additive manufacturing

Rapid Prototyping Journal ◽

10.1108/rpj-01-2018-0027 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 473-487 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Yuan Zhang ◽

Stefan Jedeck ◽

Li Yang ◽

Lihui Bai

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Spare Parts ◽

Production Optimization ◽

Arrival Process ◽

Powder Bed Fusion ◽

Content Type ◽

Modeling And Analysis ◽

Powder Bed ◽

On Demand

PurposeDespite the widespread expectation that additive manufacturing (AM) will become a disruptive technology to transform the spare parts supply chain, very limited research has been devoted to the quantitative modeling and analysis on how AM could fulfill the on-demand spare parts supply. On the other hand, the choice of using AM as a spare parts supply strategy over traditional inventory is a rising decision faced by manufacturers and requires quantitative analysis for their AM-or-stock decisions. The purpose of this paper is to develop a quantitative performance model for a generic powder bed fusion AM system in a spare parts supply chain, thus providing insights into this less-explored area in the literature.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, analysis based on a discrete event simulation was carried out for the use of AM in replacement of traditional warehouse inventory for an on-demand spare parts supply system. Generic powder bed fusion AM system was used in the model, and the same modeling approach could be applied to other types of AM processes. Using this model, the impact of both spare parts demand characteristics (e.g. part size attributes, demand rates) and the AM operations characteristics (e.g. machine size and postpone strategy) on the performance of using AM to supply spare parts was studied.FindingsThe simulation results show that in many cases the AM operation is not as cost competitive compared to the traditional warehouse-based spare parts supply operation, and that the spare parts size characteristics could significantly affect the overall performance of the AM operations. For some scenarios of the arrival process of spare parts demand, the use of the batched AM production could potentially result in significant delay in parts delivery, which necessitates further investigations of production optimization strategies.Originality/valueThe findings demonstrate that the proposed simulation tool can not only provide insights on the performance characteristics of using AM in the spare parts supply chain, especially in comparison to the traditional warehousing system, but also can be used toward decision making for both the AM manufacturers and the spare parts service providers.

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Evaluating the Readiness Level of Additively Manufactured Digital Spare Parts: An Industrial Perspective

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app8101837 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 1837 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Niklas Kretzschmar ◽

Sergei Chekurov ◽

Mika Salmi ◽

Jukka Tuomi

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Manufacturing Industry ◽

Spare Part ◽

Spare Parts ◽

Survey Study ◽

Lead Times ◽

Supply Networks ◽

Readiness Level ◽

End Use ◽

Technological Limitations

Additive manufacturing of digital spare parts offers promising new possibilities for companies to drastically shorten lead times and to omit storage costs. However, the concept of digital spare parts has not yet gained much footing in the manufacturing industry. This study aims to identify grounds for its selective rejection. Conducted from a corporate perspective, outlining a holistic supply chain network structure to visualize different digital spare part distribution scenarios, this survey study evaluates technical and economic additive manufacturing capabilities. Results are analyzed and discussed further by applying the Mann-Whitney test to examine the influence of the company size and the presence of 3D-printed end-use components within supply networks on gathered data. Machines’ limited build chamber volumes and the necessity of post-processing are considered as the main technical challenges of current additive manufacturing processes. Furthermore, it can be concluded that company sizes have a significant effect on perceived technological limitations. Overall, the results lead to the conclusion that the readiness level of the digital spare parts concept demands for further development.

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Additive manufacturing in the spare parts supply chain: hub configuration and technology maturity

Rapid Prototyping Journal ◽

10.1108/rpj-03-2017-0052 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 24 (7) ◽

pp. 1178-1192 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Siavash H. Khajavi ◽

Jan Holmström ◽

Jouni Partanen

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Spare Parts ◽

Content Type ◽

Local Manufacturing ◽

Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽

Industrial Operations ◽

Production Configuration ◽

Part Production

PurposeInnovative startups have begun a trend using laser sintering (LS) technology patents expiration, namely, by introducing LS additive manufacturing (AM) machines that can overcome utilization barriers, such as the costliness of machines and productivity limitation. The recent rise of this trend has led the authors to investigate this new class of machines in novel settings, including hub configuration. There are various supply chain configurations to supply spare parts in industrial operations. This paper aims to explore the promise of a production configuration that combines the benefits of centralized production with the flexibility of local manufacturing without the huge costs related to it.Design/methodology/approachThis study quantitatively examines the feasibility of different AM-enabled spare parts supply chain configurations. Using cost data extracted from a case study, three scenarios per AM machine technology are modeled and compared.FindingsResults suggest that hub production configuration depending on the utilized AM machines can provide economic efficiency and effectiveness to reduce equipment downtime. While previous studies have suggested the need for AM machines with efficiency for single part production for a distributed supply chain, the findings in this research illustrate the positive relationship between multi-part production capability and the feasibility of a hub manufacturing configuration establishment.Originality/valueThis study explores the promise of a production configuration that combines the benefits of centralized production with the flexibility of local manufacturing without the huge costs related to it. Although the existing body of knowledge contains research on production decentralization, research on various levels of decentralization is lacking. Using a real-world case study, this study aims to compare the feasibility of different levels of decentralization for AM-enabled spare parts supply chains.

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Performance tradeoffs for spare parts supply chains with additive manufacturing capability servicing intermittent demand

Journal of Defense Analytics and Logistics ◽

10.1108/jdal-08-2020-0016 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Kyle C. McDermott ◽

Ryan D. Winz ◽

Thom J. Hodgson ◽

Michael G. Kay ◽

Russell E. King ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Production Capacity ◽

Spare Part ◽

Spare Parts ◽

Mixed Integer ◽

Network Configuration ◽

Intermittent Demand ◽

Content Type ◽

Demand Patterns

PurposeThe study aims to investigate the impact of additive manufacturing (AM) on the performance of a spare parts supply chain with a particular focus on underlying spare part demand patterns.Design/methodology/approachThis work evaluates various AM-enabled supply chain configurations through Monte Carlo simulation. Historical demand simulation and intermittent demand forecasting are used in conjunction with a mixed integer linear program to determine optimal network nodal inventory policies. By varying demand characteristics and AM capacity this work assesses how to best employ AM capability within the network.FindingsThis research assesses the preferred AM-enabled supply chain configuration for varying levels of intermittent demand patterns and AM production capacity. The research shows that variation in demand patterns alone directly affects the preferred network configuration. The relationship between the demand volume and relative AM production capacity affects the regions of superior network configuration performance.Research limitations/implicationsThis research makes several simplifying assumptions regarding AM technical capabilities. AM production time is assumed to be deterministic and does not consider build failure probability, build chamber capacity, part size, part complexity and post-processing requirements.Originality/valueThis research is the first study to link realistic spare part demand characterization to AM supply chain design using quantitative modeling.

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Additive Manufacturing and Maritime Spare Parts: Benefits and Obstacles for the End-Users

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse9080895 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 895

Author(s):

Evanthia Kostidi ◽

Nikitas Nikitakos ◽

Iosif Progoulakis

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

New Technology ◽

Spare Part ◽

Spare Parts ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Maritime Industry ◽

End User ◽

Space Reduction ◽

Questionnaire Method ◽

Industrial Context

3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) (in the industrial context) is an innovative, as opposed to subtractive, technology, bringing new opportunities and benefits to the spare part supply chain (SPSC). The aim of this work is to capture the views of the stakeholders at the end of the chain, extruding factors that will benefit the end-user and the factors that are likely to be an obstacle, by employing the questionnaire method. Company objectives regarding spares (cost reductions, improvement of services, space reduction) have been prioritized differently by the stakeholders. The most important barriers according to the participants are the quality assurance of the spare parts made by the new technology followed by the know-how and skills of staff. Other views such as suitable parts are suggested. The practical value of this work, in addition to assessing the readiness of the industry, is that it provides guidance for the successful implementation of AM in the maritime industry.

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Economic and Environmental Assessment of Spare Parts Production Using Additive Manufacturing

Industry 4.0 and Hyper-Customized Smart Manufacturing Supply Chains - Advances in Logistics, Operations, and Management Science ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-9078-1.ch007 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 159-181

Author(s):

Atanu Chaudhuri ◽

Dennis Massarola

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Dynamic Simulation ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Selective Laser Sintering ◽

Spare Part ◽

Spare Parts ◽

Logistics System ◽

Supply Chain Costs ◽

System Dynamic Simulation

This chapter aims to investigate the potential economic and environmental sustainability outcomes of additive manufacturing (AM) for spare parts logistics. System dynamic simulation was conducted to analyze the sustainability of producing a spare part used in a railways subsystem using a particular additive manufacturing (AM) technology (i.e., selective laser sintering [SLS]) compared to producing it using injection molding. The results of the simulation showed that using SLS for the chosen part is superior to the conventional one in terms of total variable costs as well as for carbon footprint. Compared to the conventional supply chain, for the AM supply chain, the costs of the supplier reduces by 46%, that of the railways company reduces by 71%, while the overall supply chain costs reduce by 61.9%. The carbon emissions in the AM supply chain marginally reduces by 2.89% compared to the conventional supply chain.

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