The potential of additive manufacturing in the smart factory industrial 4.0: A review

Additive manufacturing (AM) or three-dimensional (3D) printing has introduced a novel production method in design, manufacturing, and distribution to end-users. This technology has provided great freedom in design for creating complex components, highly customizable products, and efficient waste minimization. The last industrial revolution, namely industry 4.0, employs the integration of smart manufacturing systems and developed information technologies. Accordingly, AM plays a principal role in industry 4.0 thanks to numerous benefits, such as time and material saving, rapid prototyping, high efficiency, and decentralized production methods. This review paper is to organize a comprehensive study on AM technology and present the latest achievements and industrial applications. Besides that, this paper investigates the sustainability dimensions of the AM process and the added values in economic, social, and environment sections. Finally, the paper concludes by pointing out the future trend of AM in technology, applications, and materials aspects that have the potential to come up with new ideas for the future of AM explorations

Remanufacturing and product design: designing for the 7th generation

The following is taken directly from the research report. This report investigates Design for Remanufacture in terms of both detailed product design and the business context in which Design for Remanufacture may operate. Key Study Objectives • To understand the link between design and remanufacture • To understand how Design for Remanufacture can lead to increased innovation and Sustainable Development (SD) • To identify proactive strategies to further Design for Remanufactur

The role of public policy in stimulating radical environmental impact reduction in the automotive sector: The need to focus on product-service system innovation

This is the post-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 InderscienceProduct-service system (PSS) innovation is a promising approach to address sustainability challenges in the automotive industry. Starting form this assumption, this paper presents and discusses the potential contribution that policy measures can have in fostering the automotive sector in innovating on a PSS level. A set of policy instruments (general instruments and specific PSS-targeted ones) are presented and classified, underlining the effects they could produce at the company and environmental levels. In order to effectively support sustainable PSS diffusion in the automotive industry, the paper suggests the integration of general policy measures (such as internalisation of external costs, extended producer responsibility programmes and informative policies), with the PSS-targeted ones (such as Green Public Procurement focused on sustainable PSS, support of companies in acquiring information related to PSS, support of demonstrative pilot projects). In addition, the paper suggests the necessity to involve actively universities and research centres

Synergic Sustainability Implications of Additive Manufacturing in Automotive Spare Parts: A Case Analysis

This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Social, Economic and Environmental Aspects.Triple bottom line (3BL) approaches to sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) often involve trade-offs between their three dimensions (economic, environmental, and social), thus curtailing its application and leading to goal unalignment among stakeholders. Under some circumstances, however, synergic approaches (typically involving disruptive innovations) might allow simultaneous improvement in one or more dimensions without compromising the others. This paper analyzes one such case: the potential of properly designed additive manufacturing approaches in the automotive spare parts industry to simultaneously boost profits and reduce environmental impact. It is based on the systematic analysis of the real spare parts business of a mid-size automotive brand in Spain. Its results suggest that such synergic, self-reinforcing opportunities do indeed exist, and might even be further developed by strategically integrating sustainability constituents such as circularity

A framework to assess the sustainability of additive manufacturing for spare parts

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising technology for the optimization of the spare parts supply chain. A complete evaluation of whether it is advantageous to switch to this technology for spare parts management should include a comprehensive assessment of its sustainability in addition to its techno-economic viability. General analyses of the economic, environmental, and social impacts of AM have been conducted, but assessments of the sustainability effects of AM in the spare parts field is limited to specific industries. Thus, based on the literature, we designed a framework that can support a life cycle evaluation of the emerging application of AM technology. It represents a methodological approach that covers all the stages of the spare parts life cycle and the three dimensions of sustainability. It has been designed to support both researchers and practitioners who are considering AM for the manufacturing of spare parts. Copyright (C) 2022 The Authors

Sustainable Maintenance Performance Measures: A Pilot Survey in Malaysian Automotive Companies

AbstractFor sustainability to be realized the automotive companies need to cascade down their strategies to all business functions, including maintenance. Maintenance objectives at the operational level shall be aligned with business strategies at the corporate level by defining key performance measures at each level. This paper developed the initial framework for measuring sustainable maintenance performance (SMP) where 15 measures at the corporate level, 20 measures at the tactical level and 43 measures at the functional level, are identified. In sequence, this paper established the importance level of these measures through a pilot survey in Malaysian automotive companies. The findings of this study are concluded by recommending all proposed measures as important. The total of lubricants consumption has been considered as the most crucial measure at the functional level, while learning and growth is the most vital perspective, and furthermore, social factor is becoming a more important in measuring SMP

A sustainable circular 3D printing model for recycling metal scrap in the automotive industry

Industries and businesses are pursuing Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and adopting a circular approach focused on improving manufacturing processes through the reduction of wastes, CO2 emissions, and mineral exploration to mitigate the impact of climate change. In this sense, Additive Manufacturing (AM), often referred to as 3D printing, can play a vital role in the closed loop of operations. However, academics and practitioners have scarcely discussed the feasibility of AM implementation alongside Circular Economy (CE) practices, the techniques and methods required, or how AM could benefit sustainability and circularity. This paper proposes a novel circular sustainable 3D printing model for scrap recycling in the automotive industry to address these gaps.The methodology uses a literature review-based approach followed by empirical research using metal scraps as the raw material for fabricating a powder to input a metal 3D printer for generating sustainable automotive components. A conceptual sustainable circular model for the automotive industry is proposed. Next, is conducted a focus group comprised of AM and automotive industry experts for evaluations. The results indicate that the proposed model can reintroduce waste back into the manufacturing chain as raw material for the on-demand manufacture and supply of automotive components and that it may also have social and environmental implications. This paper’s contributions are threefold: it explores the combined use of I4.0, CE, and Sustainability in the automotive industry, develops a new model to support the circularity and sustainability of the scrap chains, and proposes the use of AM as a catalyst of CE practices by reproducing recycled components with a 3D printer for fully functioning components

End-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling management: improving performance using an ISM approach

With booming of the automobile industry, China has become the country with increasing car ownership all over the world. However, the end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recycling industry is at infancy, and there is little systematic review on ELV recycling management, as well as low adoption amongst domestic automobile industry. This study presents a literature review and an interpretive structural modeling (ISM) approach is employed to identify the drivers towards Chinese ELV recycling business from government, recycling organizations and consumer’s perspectives, so as to improve the sustainability of automobile supply chain by providing some strategic insights. The results derived from the ISM analysis manifest that regulations on auto-factory, disassembly technique, and value mining of recycling business are the essential ingredients. It is most effective and efficient to promote ELV recycling business by improving these attributes, also the driving and dependence power analysis are deemed to provide guidance on performance improvement of ELV recycling in the Chinese market

Cascade Use and the Management of Product Lifecycles

This paper explores the challenges related to the End-Of-Life phase of products and circular systems of reuse and recycling within the commonly established frameworks of product lifecycles. Typically, Original Equipment Manufacturer-centric supply chain perspectives neglect the complexity at the End-Of-Life where many third-parties are involved in reuse and recycling activities. Based on a review of product lifecycle and related recycling literature, this study proposes the application of ‘cascades’, a term originally coined within the biomass domain. We propose and subsequently apply the ‘cascade use methodology’ and identify additional and value-adding End-Of-Life solutions for products and materials. The adoption of cascade utilization into product lifecycles is analyzed and critically discussed using case studies from independent remanufacturing and tire recycling, focusing on the End-Of-Life while excluding business models as renting or sharing. Although theoretically feasible, we argue that the practical adoption of ‘cascade use’ deserves more attention from researchers and practitioners in order to become an integral part of the comprehensive management of product lifecycles

Open Innovation and Sustainable Development through Industry-Academia Collaboration: A Case Study of Automotive Sector

The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight on how companies based in Portugal and working for the automotive sector as spare-parts suppliers, uphold the notion of sustainable development and how they perceive the industry-academia collaboration as an adding value activity that improves productivity and efficiency. A qualitative study was conducted to collect empirical data by means of interviewing 29 representatives of the Portuguese automotive spare-parts manufacturers. It was found that, to a large extent, there is a significant gap between concerns, priorities and solutions amongst the respondents. The future will therefore depend on the way the stakeholders face problems, communicate and find forums for sharing ideas and build a well-developed world