Impact Assessment of Additive Manufacturing on Sustainable Business Models in Industry 4.0 Context

Abstract

Additive manufacturing has the potential to make a longstanding impact on the manufacturing world and is a core element of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Additive manufacturing signifies a new disruptive path on how we will produce parts and products. Several studies suggest this technology could foster sustainability into manufacturing systems based on its potential of optimizing material consumption, creating new shapes, customizing designs and shortening production times that, all combined, will greatly transform some of the existing business models. Although it requires reaching a certain level of design maturity to completely insert this technology in an industrial setting, additive manufacturing has the potential to favorably impact the manufacturing sector by reducing costs in production, logistics, inventories, and in the development and industrialization of a new product. The transformation of the industry and the acceleration of the adopting rate of new technologies is driving organizational strategy. Thus, through the lenses of Industry 4.0 and its technological concepts, this paper aims to contribute to the knowledge about the impacts of additive manufacturing technology on sustainable business models. This aim is accomplished through a proposed framework, as well as the models and scales that can be used to determine these impacts. The effects are assessed by taking into account the social, environmental and economic impacts of additive manufacturing on business models and for all these three dimensions a balanced scorecard structure is proposed.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Sustainable Business Models in SMEs

“…As well, when AI is combined with other digital technologies, it can promote digital communication and collaboration, and can contribute to achieving the social distance measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Transformation from traditional to additive manufacturing based on Industry 4.0 technologies, researched in [36], shows that through performance measurement methods sustainable business models can be achieved. It enables "optimizing material consumption, creating new shapes, customizing designs and shortening production times".…”

Synergic Sustainability Implications of Additive Manufacturing in Automotive Spare Parts: A Case Analysis

“…The interconnection of devices, computers, tools, etc., that constitute the cyber physical systems (CPS) at the core of the 4.0 connected industry could boost the performance of both the individual AM machines and the overall operational systems. The significance of this synergic mutual reinforcement between AM and 4.0 industry has been highlighted by several authors [4,31,32].…”

“…There is also a growing consensus on the relevance of the influence and impact on social and environmental dimensions of these AM-deployment-related changes. This aspect should be considered throughout the complete life cycle of the industrial products, from design process to the EOL (end of life) phase, as highlighted at [21] and [31]. At [32], the analysis performed regarding the future projection of 34 key impacts derived from the adoption of AM techniques clearly shows that some soft social dimensions become absolutely critical.…”

Machinability of INCONEL718 Alloy with a Porous Microstructure Produced by Laser Melting Powder Bed Fusion at Higher Energy Densities

“…The adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) by the industry [ 19 , 20 ] is accelerating as a rapid fabrication method for metal components. Among the AM fabrication methods, laser melting powder bed fusion (LM-PBF) is the most versatile only limited by an individual part size that can be produced typically within a build space of up to 400 × 400 × 400 mm.…”

“…Among the AM fabrication methods, laser melting powder bed fusion (LM-PBF) is the most versatile only limited by an individual part size that can be produced typically within a build space of up to 400 × 400 × 400 mm. The LM-PBF of turbomachinery components in nickel-based alloys has been used to fabricate blades for the industrial power plant [ 20 ]. Larger components such as an OGV, which is a static (nonrotating) component could be fabricated in smaller segments [ 21 ] and then assembled.…”