Competencies to Address the Industrial Additive Manufacturing Towards Sustainable Production

Abstract

Since the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) region is currently undergoing a structural change towards a CO2 neutral energy supply, the use of additive manufacturing (AM) can offer great potential to produce in a more sustainable way. AM can also offer opportunities for industry with regard to other aspects, since production complexity can also be reduced, and time-to-market shortened at the same time. Against this background of increasing importance of AM, this study has the focus to find out what competencies an employee in AM should have in order to establish him/herself in this area in the future and successfully use AM in the industry. For this purpose, problem-centered and guided expert interviews were conducted with 19 experts from different industries. The interviews were then transcribed and evaluated using Mayring’s content analysis. A key finding of this work is that knowledge of technology and materials, the ability to part identification, and a basic understanding of the process chain in AM are among the most important hard skills for a future employee in AM. Regarding soft skills, the willingness to openly exchange ideas, the ability to work in a team in conjunction with good communication skills, a conscientious approach to work and the right mindset are emphasized. In conclusion, regarding structural change in NRW, it is clear from the interviews that the experts particularly suggest opportunities in the area of sustainability, but also greater collaboration within companies and universities involved in AM.