Short answer

When proposing digital spare parts solutions, designers must acknowledge and address the current limitations in additive manufacturing build size and post-processing requirements, and consider how company size might influence adoption.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: Applied Sciences (2018)
Method: Survey study
Evidence: Moderate effect

Despite the potential of additive manufacturing for digital spare parts to reduce lead times and storage costs, significant technical limitations and economic considerations currently hinder widespread industrial adoption. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2018 study published in Applied Sciences. Using Survey study, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: When proposing digital spare parts solutions, designers must acknowledge and address the current limitations in additive manufacturing build size and post-processing requirements, and consider how company size might influence adoption.

Study

Innovation & DesignHigh ImpactModerate effect

Digital Spare Parts: Technical Hurdles and Economic Viability Remain Key Barriers to Adoption

Applied Sciences · 2018

Key Findings

01Limited build chamber volumes of additive manufacturing machines are a primary technical challenge.
02The necessity of post-processing for additively manufactured parts presents another significant technical hurdle.
03Company size has a notable impact on the perception of technological limitations related to digital spare parts.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When evaluating the feasibility of a digital spare parts strategy, conduct a thorough assessment of available additive manufacturing technologies, including their build volumes and post-processing needs, and consider the economic implications for your specific organizational context.

Project actions

01When researching digital spare parts, consider the physical constraints of current 3D printing technology.
02Investigate the post-processing steps required for different materials and their impact on cost and time.

Method & Evidence

AimTo identify the technical and economic barriers preventing the widespread adoption of digital spare parts manufactured using additive technologies within the industrial sector.

MethodSurvey study

ProcedureA survey was conducted from a corporate perspective to gather data on the technical and economic capabilities of additive manufacturing for digital spare parts. A holistic supply chain network structure was used to visualize different distribution scenarios. The Mann-Whitney test was applied to analyze the influence of company size and the presence of 3D-printed end-use components on the gathered data.

ContextIndustrial manufacturing and supply chain management

Variables

IV["Company size","Presence of 3D-printed end-use components"]

DV["Perceived technical capabilities of additive manufacturing","Perceived economic viability of digital spare parts"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Provides an industrial perspective on digital spare parts.
+Uses statistical analysis (Mann-Whitney test) to support conclusions.

Limitations

The study's findings are based on a survey and may not capture all nuances of industrial adoption. The rapid advancement of additive manufacturing means these limitations could change quickly.

Reliability & validity

The study's validity is supported by its focus on an industrial perspective and the use of statistical testing. Reliability could be enhanced by a larger and more diverse sample of companies across various industrial sectors.

Think critically

To what extent do the identified technical limitations of additive manufacturing for digital spare parts represent fundamental challenges versus temporary technological constraints?

Design Principles

"Technological readiness must align with practical implementation constraints for successful innovation adoption."

Designers and engineers need to be aware of the practical challenges in implementing digital spare parts. Understanding these limitations is crucial for developing realistic strategies and for advocating for the necessary advancements in additive manufacturing technology and supply chain integration.

What This Means for Your Design

Even though making spare parts digitally with 3D printing could save time and money, it's not widely used yet because printers are too small and parts need extra work after printing.

How to use in your project

1.Use this research to justify why a proposed digital spare parts solution needs to consider current manufacturing limitations.
2.Reference the findings on technical challenges to support your design decisions and risk assessments.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The adoption of digital spare parts, while promising for efficiency gains, is currently constrained by significant technical limitations such as restricted build chamber volumes and the necessity for extensive post-processing in additive manufacturing. These factors, alongside economic considerations, necessitate further development before widespread industrial implementation can be realized, as highlighted by research indicating that company size can influence the perception of these technological barriers.

Source

Applied Sciences

Evaluating the Readiness Level of Additively Manufactured Digital Spare Parts: An Industrial Perspective

journal · 2018

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about digital spare parts: technical hurdles and economic viability remain key barriers to adoption?: When proposing digital spare parts solutions, designers must acknowledge and address the current limitations in additive manufacturing build size and post-processing requirements, and consider how company size might influence adoption. Evidence: Applied Sciences (2018).
Why does "Digital Spare Parts: Technical Hurdles and Economic Viability Remain Key Barriers to Adoption" matter for design?: Designers and engineers need to be aware of the practical challenges in implementing digital spare parts. Understanding these limitations is crucial for developing realistic strategies and for advocating for the necessary advancements in additive manufacturing technology and supply chain integration.
How can designers apply this research?: When proposing digital spare parts solutions, designers must acknowledge and address the current limitations in additive manufacturing build size and post-processing requirements, and consider how company size might influence adoption.
What were the main findings?: Limited build chamber volumes of additive manufacturing machines are a primary technical challenge.. The necessity of post-processing for additively manufactured parts presents another significant technical hurdle.. Company size has a notable impact on the perception of technological limitations related to digital spare parts.
What research method was used?: Survey study.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2018 journal from Applied Sciences.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When evaluating the feasibility of a digital spare parts strategy, conduct a thorough assessment of available additive manufacturing technologies, including their build volumes and post-processing needs, and consider the economic implications for your specific organizational context.
What are the limitations?: The study's findings may be influenced by the specific industrial sectors surveyed and the current state of additive manufacturing technology at the time of the study. The perceived readiness level might evolve rapidly with technological advancements.