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Purpose
The emergence and application of 3D Printing (3DP) is changing the way products are developed and reach the customer, allowing for unprecedented customisation options. Past research has focussed on the modus operandi of the technology, providing indications for wider future adoption. 3DP is predicted to complement current production processes and is anticipated to have a profound effect on the value chain and, therefore, on supply chain (SC) management. Management-related 3DP research has, however, been largely fragmented in terms of analysing the strategic deployment of 3DP and the corresponding effects on performance objectives. The aim of this paper is to identify, define and exemplify typical 3DP deployment strategies pursued.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach taken is a critical literature review, synthesising and interpreting past research on cross-industry deployment of 3DP, including illustrative examples. This enabled the development of a framework of current stage knowledge.
Findings
Building on past research, the authors propose a conceptual framework to be used as a classification system for 3DP operations, based on process and SC level configurations across different industries. They discuss the potential impact on operations performance objectives and then highlight research gaps, proposing specific research avenues to enhance understanding of the effects of 3DP adoption on SCs.
Practical implications
The proposed framework outlines strategic guidelines for 3DP and provides practitioners with the range of strategic options available for 3DP deployment and anticipated impacts on performance.
Originality/value
The framework can be used to map 3DP deployment at an operational level and identify the likely impact on performance objectives. Relevant implications and a future research agenda are explored.
With the recent emergence of Additive Manufacturing (AM) for end-use production applications, contemporary AM management literature suggests radical structural transformations to Supply Chain (SC) structures with corresponding performance benefits, relative to Traditional Manufacturing (TM). However understanding is lacking about the nature of these changes. This paper analyzes the potential impacts of AM processes on traditional SC structures. Configuration theory, postulated by Alfred Chandler and widely applied in studies of TM and service SCs, serves as a basis to analyze the potential impacts of AM on the structural dimensions of SCs, with respect to a set of performance objectives. A framework is developed to capture these impacts with corresponding implications for the operations of part suppliers, module suppliers and final assemblers, deploying AM in different modes and levels in the product hierarchy. By highlighting the differences in characteristics of SCs from TM and AM production scenarios, the framework aids to conceptualize and explain the potential impacts of AM on SC configurations. This differentiation is necessary to understand the relative capabilities of TM and AM SC configurations and implications for different SC entities.
Additive manufacturing
(2022)
Using Resource Dependence Theory (RDT), this paper explores the changing state of Supply Chain (SC) complexities and dependencies resulting from Additive Manufacturing (AM) adoption, analysing implications for competitiveness. We utilised an adapted SC configuration framework to develop embedded case studies across the Aerospace, Automotive and Power Generation industries. The sample included fifteen companies deploying metal AM across three SC tiers. Using an abductive logic, our findings reveal that the complexity and dependency-reduction potential of AM depends on economic, industry, geographical, organisational and technological factors. We developed a conceptual framework for AM SC configuration and four propositions, which provide further insights into the interplay between SC complexities, dependencies and competitiveness. By utilising RDT, we contribute to the AM SC configuration literature by highlighting the mediating role that dependencies play in achieving competitiveness, as well as strategies adopted by firms to mitigate uncertainty. We also highlight the interplay between ‘relationship and governance’ and three other SC configuration dimensions in relation to competitiveness. Insights into the changing state of complexities and dependencies identified in this study could also support managerial decisions in AM SC design.