The Implementation of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in Industries Starting from the Identification of Organizational Cultural Characteristics - A Review

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing (AM), widely known as 3D printing, is a fabrication process to build 3D parts layer by layer directly from a virtual CAD model. It is an innovative technology, with the potential to revolutionize the manufacturing industry completely. It is possible to manufacture complex shaped parts, shortening production sequence, reducing time to market and allowing mass customization. As one of Industry 4.0 nine pillars, AM has promoted an extensive number of researches. Some of them identify organizational culture as a leading factor affecting its implementation in industries. Like any change within companies, organizational culture can be a decisive factor for the successful implementation of AM. However, few studies have thoroughly explored the subject to find which set of cultural characteristics can guide the whole organization. This research identifies, through a systematic literature review (SLR) based on the PRISMA Protocol, which set of cultural characteristics can guide the transition from conventional to AM technology. The systematic literature review was capable of identifying a set of 41 cultural characteristics, which the company should present to implement AM successfully. Knowing which cultural characteristics can help AM implementation companies will increase their chances of succeeding when moving towards AM technologies within Industry 4.0.