TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose The decision-making for additive manufacturing (AM) process selection is typically applied in the end of the product design stages based upon an already finished design. However, due to unique characteristics of AM processes, the part needs to be designed for the specific AM process. This requires potentially feasible AM techniques to be identified in early design stages. This paper aims to develop such a decision-making methodology that can seamlessly be integrated in the product design stages to facilitate AM process selection and assist product/part design.Design/methodology/approach The decision-making methodology consists of four elements, namely, initial screening, technical evaluation and selection of feasible AM processes, re-evaluation of the feasible process and production machine selection. Prior to the design phase, the methodology determines whether AM production is suitable based on the given design requirements. As the design progresses, a more accurate process selection in terms of technical and economic viability is performed using the analytic hierarchy process technique. Features that would cause potential manufacturability issues and increased production costs will be identified and modified. Finally, a production machine that is best suited for the finished product design is identified.Findings The methodology was found to be able to facilitate the design process by enabling designers to identify appropriate AM technique and production machine, which was demonstrated in the case study.Originality/value This study addresses the gap between the isolated product design and process selection stages by developing the decision-making methodology that can be integrated in product design stages.
VL  - 26
IS  - 5
SN  - 1355-2546
DO  - 10.1108/RPJ-06-2019-0174
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-06-2019-0174
AU  - Liu Wei
AU  - Zhu Zicheng
AU  - Ye Songhe
PY  - 2020
Y1  - 2020/01/01
TI  - A decision-making methodology integrated in product design for additive manufacturing process selection
T2  - Rapid Prototyping Journal
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 895
EP  - 909
Y2  - 2024/04/24
ER  -