Additive Manufacturing Production Shops: A Requirements Analysis

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies become increasingly relevant for manufacturing companies. Despite having the highest share of AM applications, end-use parts are mostly used for spare or special parts and rarely within series applications. This paper addresses the challenge of practically implementing AM series production into industrial environments by means of a requirements analysis. It proposes a methodology on how to record, prioritize and meet requirements for AM production shops. Successful implementation demands understanding of the requirements for AM production shops from both a factory and an AM perspective. Quality Function Deployment (QFD) is chosen as a methodology for the requirements analysis. It offers a framework for structured collection and weighting of the requirements identified through expert interviews with AM users and system manufacturers. Subsequently, measures and a basic plan of action on how to implement AM series production into production shops are defined. The analysis reveals seven requirements for AM production shops within the categories spatial organization, process chains and flow systems. Most of them concern process chains, making these primary obstacles towards additive series production on the technical side. Substantial requirements are high process stability, fast process chains and the reduction of manual post-processing. Different advancements are necessary on the AM and the factory side. On the factory side, measures that form synergies to conventional manufacturing technologies, such as cross-usable quality assurance systems, are favorable. On the AM side, focus lies on the enhancement of physical and digital process chains. The results show that implementing AM production shops requires joint and interdisciplinary developments by AM users and system manufacturers. Further research and a larger sample are needed for validation as well as practical realization and advancement of the identified measures.