A framework for the relationship implications of additive manufacturing (3D printing) for industrial marketing: servitization, sustainability and customer empowerment

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the relationship implications of additive manufacturing (AM), which has the ability to produce layer-by-layer three-dimensional complex products by adding material in comparison to traditional manufacturing processes which remove material – for industrial marketing. Design/methodology/approach After presenting the literature on customer relationships and digital technologies in business-to-business, the study uses a “zoom-out” and “zoom-in” perspective to review the extant literature on AM and then makes study propositions for industrial marketing. Findings Through the adoption of AM technologies, the study suggests that firms can improve their level of servitization through customized products, offer more sustainable value propositions and empower their customers through the sale of digital files, which can be considered as levers to strengthen relationships with customers. Research limitations/implications This paper makes several propositions regarding the relationship implications of AM for industrial marketing that further research should test. Practical implications This paper highlights the relational benefits that adopting AM may represent for companies. Originality/value While AM which is considered as an industrial revolution has generated a wide body of research in engineering and operations and technology management sciences, its impact on industrial marketing remains understudied.

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Effect of system compliance on weld power in ultrasonic additive manufacturing

Rapid Prototyping Journal ◽

10.1108/rpj-07-2020-0168 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Gowtham Venkatraman ◽

Adam Hehr ◽

Leon M. Headings ◽

Marcelo J. Dapino

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Electrical Power ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Power Input ◽

Material Strength ◽

Content Type ◽

Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing ◽

Linear Elastic ◽

Mechanical Compliance ◽

The Relationship

Purpose Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a solid-state joining technology used for three-dimensional printing of metal foilstock. The electrical power input to the ultrasonic welder is a key driver of part quality in UAM, but under the same process parameters, it can vary widely for different build geometries and material combinations because of mechanical compliance in the system. This study aims to model the relationship between UAM weld power and system compliance considering the workpiece (geometry and materials) and the fixture on which the build is fabricated. Design/methodology/approach Linear elastic finite element modeling and experimental modal analysis are used to characterize the system’s mechanical compliance, and linear system dynamics theory is used to understand the relationship between weld power and compliance. In-situ measurements of the weld power are presented for various build stiffnesses to compare model predictions with experiments. Findings Weld power in UAM is found to be largely determined by the mechanical compliance of the build and insensitive to foil material strength. Originality/value This is the first research paper to develop a predictive model relating UAM weld power and the mechanical compliance of the build over a range of foil combinations. This model is used to develop a tool to determine the process settings required to achieve a consistent weld power in builds with different stiffnesses.

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Advancements in Manufacturing Technology With Additive Manufacturing and Its Context With Industry 4.0

Handbook of Research on Advancements in Manufacturing, Materials, and Mechanical Engineering - Advances in Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-4939-1.ch001 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Ganzi Suresh

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Industry 4.0 ◽

Industrial Revolution ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Metal Alloys ◽

Layer By Layer ◽

Post Processing ◽

Clear Insight ◽

Am Processes ◽

Insight Into

Additive manufacturing (AM) is also known as 3D printing and classifies various advanced manufacturing processes that are used to manufacture three dimensional parts or components with a digital file in a sequential layer-by-layer. This chapter gives a clear insight into the various AM processes that are popular and under development. AM processes are broadly classified into seven categories based on the type of the technology used such as source of heat (ultraviolet light, laser) and type materials (resigns, polymers, metal and metal alloys) used to fabricate the parts. These AM processes have their own merits and demerits depending upon the end part application. Some of these AM processes require extensive post-processing in order to get the finished part. For this process, a separate machine is required to overcome this hurdle in AM; hybrid manufacturing comes into the picture with building and post-processing the part in the same machine. This chapter also discusses the fourth industrial revolution (I 4.0) from the perspective of additive manufacturing.

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Where Is the Missing Matter?

3D Printing ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-1677-4.ch007 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 145-152

Author(s):

Tihomir Mitev

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

3D Printing ◽

Industrial Revolution ◽

Raw Materials ◽

New Technology ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Material Object ◽

Layer By Layer ◽

Solid Objects ◽

Thing In Itself

The additive manufacturing (or the popular 3D printing) is relatively new technology which opens new spaces for entrepreneurial imagination and promises next stage of the industrial revolution. It is creating three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The printer transforms the file into a material object layer by layer, using different raw materials. Today, the additive manufacturing is successfully used in architecture, medicine and healthcare, light and heavy industries, education, etc. The paper analyses the roles of actors in manufacturing the objects. It starts with the Heideggerian questioning of technology (), searching for the causes of bringing into appearance of the 3D model. According to Heideggerian analysis the technology is represented as an ‘unveiling of the truth'. The paper suggests that the old understanding of matter as a thing-in-itself should be replaced by a new, flexible, fluid, concept of matter, which is more or less manipulable. The matter is no more an occasion for object's taking place. On the other hand, it seems 3D printing technology is reduced to mere means; a simple intermediary, a copier of ideas. From that perspective the paper questioning the problem of action in ANT and search how action and interaction is distributed and how actors constitutes themselves as well as their actor-world.

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Where is the Missing Matter?

International Journal of Actor-Network Theory and Technological Innovation ◽

10.4018/ijantti.2015010102 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 10-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tihomir Mitev

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

3D Printing ◽

Industrial Revolution ◽

Raw Materials ◽

New Technology ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Material Object ◽

Layer By Layer ◽

Solid Objects ◽

Thing In Itself

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Investigation of Applicability of Additive Manufacturing Processes to Appropriate Technologies for Developing Countries

Academic Society for Appropriate Technology ◽

10.37675/jat.2021.7.2.188 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 188-195

Author(s):

Dong-Gyu Ahn

Keyword(s):

Developing Countries ◽

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Industrial Revolution ◽

Low Cost ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Appropriate Technology ◽

Manufacturing Processes ◽

Layer By Layer ◽

Layer Deposition ◽

Am Processes

In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) processes have emerged as an important manufacturing technology for a multi-item small sized production to lead the 4th industrial revolution. The layer-by-layer deposition characteristics of AM process can rapidly produce physical parts with three-dimensional geometry and desired functionality in a relatively low cost environment. The goal of this paper is to investigate the applicability of AM process to appropriate technologies for developing countries. Through the review of examples of appropriate technology of the AM process, the possibility of a practical usage of the AM process for the appropriate technologies is examined. In addition, significant applications of the AM process to the appropriate technology are introduced. Finally, future issues related to production of physical parts for developing countries using the AM process are discussed from the viewpoint of the appropriate technology.

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Evaluation of Parts Produced by a Novel Additive Manufacturing Process

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.315.63 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 315 ◽

pp. 63-67 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Muhammad Fahad ◽

Neil Hopkinson

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Rapid Prototyping ◽

Manufacturing Process ◽

High Speed ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Coordinate Measuring Machine ◽

Layer By Layer ◽

Nylon 12 ◽

Measuring Machine ◽

End Use

Rapid prototyping refers to building three dimensional parts in a tool-less, layer by layer manner using the CAD geometry of the part. Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the name given to the application of rapid prototyping technologies to produce functional, end use items. Since AM is relatively new area of manufacturing processes, various processes are being developed and analyzed for their performance (mainly speed and accuracy). This paper deals with the design of a new benchmark part to analyze the flatness of parts produced on High Speed Sintering (HSS) which is a novel Additive Manufacturing process and is currently being developed at Loughborough University. The designed benchmark part comprised of various features such as cubes, holes, cylinders, spheres and cones on a flat base and the build material used for these parts was nylon 12 powder. Flatness and curvature of the base of these parts were measured using a coordinate measuring machine (CMM) and the results are discussed in relation to the operating parameters of the process.The result show changes in the flatness of part with the depth of part in the bed which is attributed to the thermal gradient within the build envelope during build.

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The role of robotics in additive manufacturing: review of the AM processes and introduction of an intelligent system

Industrial Robot the international journal of robotics research and application ◽

10.1108/ir-06-2021-0110 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

J. Norberto Pires ◽

Amin S. Azar ◽

Filipe Nogueira ◽

Carlos Ye Zhu ◽

Ricardo Branco ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Computer Aided Design ◽

Intelligent System ◽

Material Selection ◽

High Strength Steels ◽

Industrial Applications ◽

Layer By Layer ◽

Content Type ◽

Functional Components

Purpose Additive manufacturing (AM) is a rapidly evolving manufacturing process, which refers to a set of technologies that add materials layer-by-layer to create functional components. AM technologies have received an enormous attention from both academia and industry, and they are being successfully used in various applications, such as rapid prototyping, tooling, direct manufacturing and repair, among others. AM does not necessarily imply building parts, as it also refers to innovation in materials, system and part designs, novel combination of properties and interplay between systems and materials. The most exciting features of AM are related to the development of radically new systems and materials that can be used in advanced products with the aim of reducing costs, manufacturing difficulties, weight, waste and energy consumption. It is essential to develop an advanced production system that assists the user through the process, from the computer-aided design model to functional components. The challenges faced in the research and development and operational phase of producing those parts include requiring the capacity to simulate and observe the building process and, more importantly, being able to introduce the production changes in a real-time fashion. This paper aims to review the role of robotics in various AM technologies to underline its importance, followed by an introduction of a novel and intelligent system for directed energy deposition (DED) technology. Design/methodology/approach AM presents intrinsic advantages when compared to the conventional processes. Nevertheless, its industrial integration remains as a challenge due to equipment and process complexities. DED technologies are among the most sophisticated concepts that have the potential of transforming the current material processing practices. Findings The objective of this paper is identifying the fundamental features of an intelligent DED platform, capable of handling the science and operational aspects of the advanced AM applications. Consequently, we introduce and discuss a novel robotic AM system, designed for processing metals and alloys such as aluminium alloys, high-strength steels, stainless steels, titanium alloys, magnesium alloys, nickel-based superalloys and other metallic alloys for various applications. A few demonstrators are presented and briefly discussed, to present the usefulness of the introduced system and underlying concept. The main design objective of the presented intelligent robotic AM system is to implement a design-and-produce strategy. This means that the system should allow the user to focus on the knowledge-based tasks, e.g. the tasks of designing the part, material selection, simulating the deposition process and anticipating the metallurgical properties of the final part, as the rest would be handled automatically. Research limitations/implications This paper reviews a few AM technologies, where robotics is a central part of the process, such as vat photopolymerization, material jetting, binder jetting, material extrusion, powder bed fusion, DED and sheet lamination. This paper aims to influence the development of robot-based AM systems for industrial applications such as part production, automotive, medical, aerospace and defence sectors. Originality/value The presented intelligent system is an original development that is designed and built by the co-authors J. Norberto Pires, Amin S. Azar and Trayana Tankova.

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Effect of 3D printer enabled surface morphology and composition on coral growth in artificial reefs

Rapid Prototyping Journal ◽

10.1108/rpj-07-2020-0165 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Ilse Valenzuela Matus ◽

Jorge Lino Alves ◽

Joaquim Góis ◽

Augusto Barata da Rocha ◽

Rui Neto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Chemical Composition ◽

Chemical Elements ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Coral Growth ◽

Coralline Algae ◽

Textured Surface ◽

Crustose Coralline Algae ◽

Statistical Parameters ◽

Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to prove and qualify the influence of textured surface substrates morphology and chemical composition on the growth and propagation of transplanted corals. Use additive manufacturing and silicone moulds for converting three-dimensional samples into limestone mortar with white Portland cement substrates for coral growth. Design/methodology/approach Tiles samples were designed and printed with different geometries and textures inspired by nature marine environment. Commercial coral frag tiles were analysed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to identify the main chemical elements. Raw materials and coral species were selected. New base substrates were manufactured and deployed into a closed-circuit aquarium to monitor the coral weekly evolution process and analyse the results obtained. Findings Experimental results provided positive statistical parameters for future implementation tests, concluding that the intensity of textured surface, interfered favourably in the coralline algae biofilm growth. The chemical composition and design of the substrates were determinant factors for successful coral propagation. Recesses and cavities mimic the natural rocks aspect and promoted the presence and interaction of other species that favour the richness of the ecosystem. Originality/value Additive manufacturing provided an innovative method of production for ecology restoration areas, allowing rapid prototyping of substrates with high complexity morphologies, a critical and fundamental attribute to guarantee coral growth and Crustose Coralline Algae. The result of this study showed the feasibility of this approach using three-dimensional printing technologies.

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Animal orthosis fabrication with additive manufacturing – a case study of custom orthosis for chicken

Rapid Prototyping Journal ◽

10.1108/rpj-03-2021-0054 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Wiktoria Maria Wojnarowska ◽

Jakub Najowicz ◽

Tomasz Piecuch ◽

Michał Sochacki ◽

Dawid Pijanka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Veterinary Medicine ◽

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Computer Aided Design ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Fused Deposition Modelling ◽

Content Type ◽

Fused Deposition ◽

Secondary Objective ◽

Traditional Manufacturing ◽

Aided Design

Purpose Chicken orthoses that cover the ankle joint area are not commercially available. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to fabricate a customised temporary Ankle–Foot Orthosis (AFO) for a chicken with a twisted ankle using computer-aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional (3D) printing. The secondary objective of the paper is to present the specific application of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in veterinary medicine. Design/methodology/approach The design process was based on multiple sketches, photos and measurements that were provided by the owner of the animal. The 3D model of the orthosis was made with Autodesk Fusion 360, while the prototype was fabricated using fused deposition modelling (FDM). Evaluation of the AFO was performed using the finite element method. Findings The work resulted in a functional 3D printed AFO for chicken. It was found that the orthosis made with AM provides satisfactory stiffen and a good fit. It was concluded that AM is suitable for custom bird AFO fabrication and, in some respects, is superior to traditional manufacturing methods. It was also concluded that the presented procedure can be applied in other veterinary cases and to other animal species and other parts of their body. AM provides veterinary with a powerful tool for the production of well-fitted and durable orthoses for animals. Research limitations/implications The study does not include the chicken's opinion on the comfort or fit of the manufactured AFO due to communication issues. Evaluation of the final prototype was done by the researchers and the animal owner. Originality/value No evidence was found in the literature on the use of AM for chicken orthosis, so this study is the first to describe such an application of AM. In addition, the study demonstrates the value of AM in veterinary medicine, especially in the production of devices such as orthoses.

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Increasing Part Accuracy in Additive Manufacturing Processes Using a k-d Tree Based Clustered Adaptive Layering

Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.4028586 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 136 (6) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Neeraj Panhalkar ◽

Ratnadeep Paul ◽

Sam Anand

Keyword(s):

Additive Manufacturing ◽

Computer Aided Design ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Layer By Layer ◽

Adaptive Slicing ◽

Stl File ◽

Build Time ◽

Standard File Format ◽

Aided Design ◽

Profile Errors

Additive manufacturing (AM) is widely used in aerospace, automobile, and medical industries for building highly accurate parts using a layer by layer approach. The stereolithography (STL) file is the standard file format used in AM machines and approximates the three-dimensional (3D) model of parts using planar triangles. However, as the STL file is an approximation of the actual computer aided design (CAD) surface, the geometric errors in the final manufactured parts are pronounced, particularly in those parts with highly curved surfaces. If the part is built with the minimum uniform layer thickness allowed by the AM machine, the manufactured part will typically have the best quality, but this will also result in a considerable increase in build time. Therefore, as a compromise, the part can be built with variable layer thicknesses, i.e., using an adaptive layering technique, which will reduce the part build time while still reducing the part errors and satisfying the geometric tolerance callouts on the part. This paper describes a new approach of determining the variable slices using a 3D k-d tree method. The paper validates the proposed k-d tree based adaptive layering approach for three test parts and documents the results by comparing the volumetric, cylindricity, sphericity, and profile errors obtained from this approach with those obtained using a uniform slicing method. Since current AM machines are incapable of handling adaptive slicing approach directly, a “pseudo” grouped adaptive layering approach is also proposed here. This “clustered slicing” technique will enable the fabrication of a part in bands of varying slice thicknesses with each band having clusters of uniform slice thicknesses. The proposed k-d tree based adaptive slicing approach along with clustered slicing has been validated with simulations of the test parts of different shapes.

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