Some Challenges and Opportunities in Additive Manufacturing Industrialization Process

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a term often used interchangeably with 3D Printing (3DP) and has brought about a significant transformation in the design and production process by enabling a continuous flow of material data to the finished product. New opportunities for diversification, increased agility, and potentially lower overall costs compared to traditional manufacturing methods arise. Therefore, various industries are moving away from traditional manufacturing ways and turning to this technology to improve their processes and outputs and ultimately for improving their supply chain efficiency. A comprehensive innovation and application of AM processes and equipment, in conjunction with emerging technologies such as cloud manufacturing, big data, and the Internet of Things are necessary in the improvement of AM process. In fact, there are still several challenges and issues that must be addressed for AM to be fully industrialized and widely adopted across different industries. The authors of this paper have succinctly and effectively highlighted significant concerns related to production and operational management. They have presented these concerns as an inspiration for readers to tackle challenges and capitalize on opportunities during the industrialization process of additive manufacturing.