An implementation framework for additive manufacturing in supply chains

Abstract

Additive manufacturing has become one of the most important technologies in the manufacturing field. Full implementation of additive manufacturing will change many well-known management practices in the production sector. However, theoretical development in the field of additive manufacturing with regard to its impact on supply chain management is rare. While additive manufacturing is believed to revolutionize and enhance traditional manufacturing, there is no comprehensive toolset developed in the manufacturing field to assess the impact of additive manufacturing and determine the best production method that suits the applied supply chain strategy. A significant portion of the existing supply chain methods and frameworks were adopted in this study to examine the implementation of additive manufacturing in supply chain management. The aim of this study is to develop a framework to explain when additive manufacturing impacts supply chain management efficiently.