Optimisation of multi-part production in additive manufacturing for reducing support waste

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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A novel strategy for multi-part production in additive manufacturing

The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology ◽

10.1007/s00170-020-05734-8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 109 (5-6) ◽

pp. 1237-1248 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jingchao Jiang ◽

Xun Xu ◽

Yi Xiong ◽

Yunlong Tang ◽

Guoying Dong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Novel Strategy ◽

Part Production

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Quality part production via multi-laser additive manufacturing

Manufacturing Letters ◽

10.1016/j.mfglet.2017.05.003 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

pp. 15-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Mohammad Masoomi ◽

Scott M. Thompson ◽

Nima Shamsaei

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Laser Additive Manufacturing ◽

Part Production

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Utility of Big Area Additive Manufacturing for Part Production for Low-Head Hydropower

10.2172/1747020 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Brian Post ◽

Alex Roschli ◽

Jesse Heineman ◽

Phillip Chesser ◽

John Lindahl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Low Head ◽

Part Production

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Verification of Stress Transformation in Anisotropic Material Additively Manufactured by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1107949/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

M. Hossein Sehhat ◽

Ali Mahdianikhotbesara ◽

Farzad Yadegari

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Anisotropic Material ◽

Fused Deposition Modeling ◽

Environmentally Friendly ◽

Fused Deposition ◽

The Past ◽

Deposition Modeling ◽

3D Printed ◽

Transformed Stress ◽

Part Production

Abstract The widespread use of Additive Manufacturing (AM) has been extensively progressed in the past decade due to the convenience provided by AM in rapid and reliable part production. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) has witnessed even faster growth of application as its equipment is environmentally-friendly and easily adaptable. This increased use of FDM to manufacture prototypes and finished parts is accompanied by concerns that 3D printed parts do not perform the same as relatively homogeneous parts produced by molding or machining. As the interface between two faces of bonded material may be modeled by stress elements, in theory by modeling 3D printed layers subjected to tension at varying angles as transformed stress elements, the stress required to break the layer bonds can be determined. To evaluate such a relationship, in this study, the stresses calculated from stress transformation were compared with the behavior of 3D printed specimens subjected to tensile loads.

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