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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the technology, business and intellectual property issues surrounding the production of spare parts through additive manufacturing (AM) from a digital source. It aims to identify challenges to the growth of the AM spares market and propose suitable solutions.

The paper begins with a systematic literature review and theoretical analysis. This is followed by case study research through semi-structured interviews, forming the basis of a triangulated, cross-case analysis of empirical data.

The paper identifies several obstacles to the development of the AM-produced digital spares market. The manufacturing industry will soon be forced to re-think AM as a real manufacturing alternative. Short-term, AM technology has implications for the production of components for legacy systems for which tooling facilities no longer exist. Long-term, AM will be used to produce a wide range of components especially when product and/or service functionality can be increased. To enable companies to navigate current uncertainties in the patent framework (especially the “repair vs make” doctrine), new intellectual property rights strategies could be developed around patenting both complex devices and their individual components, and seeking patent protection for CAD files. Further harmonization of the EU legal framework, the interpretation of claims and the scope of protection offered in the context of spare parts, will also be important.

This study pinpoints key issues that need to be addressed within the European AM business environment and the patent system and proposes recommendations for business and legal frameworks to promote the growth of a stable European digital spare parts market.

Although additive manufacturing (AM) has been demonstrated to have significant potential in improving spare part delivery operations and has been adopted to a degree in the aviation and automotive industries, its use in spare part production is still limited in other fields due to a variety of implementation barriers. The purpose of this article is to assess the significance of previously reported barriers in the context of the machine-building industry.

Adoption barriers are identified from the literature and formulated as hypotheses, which are verified with a set of focus group interviews consisting of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), AM service providers and quality inspection and insurance institutions. The results of the interviews are reported qualitatively, and the transcripts of the interviews are subjected to quantitative content analysis.

The article identifies distrust in quality, insufficient material and design knowledge among stakeholders and poor availability of design documentation on spare parts as the key barriers of adopting AM in the production of spare parts. The three key barriers are interconnected and training engineers to be proficient in design and material issues as well as producing high-quality design documentation will yield the highest increase in AM implementation in spare parts.

The article offers a unique approach as it investigates the subjective views of a cross-organizational group of industrial actors involved in the machine-building industry. The article contributes to the theory of digital spare parts by verifying and rejecting presented barriers of AM implementation and how they are interconnected.

Introducing additive manufacturing (AM) in a multinational corporation with a global spare parts operation requires tools for a dynamic supplier selection, considering both cost and delivery performance. In the switchover to AM from conventional manufacturing, the objective of this study is to find situations and ways to improve the spare parts service to end customers.

In this explorative study, the authors develop a procedure – in collaboration with the spare parts operations managers of a case company – for dynamic operational decision-making for the selection of spare parts supply from multiple suppliers. The authors' design proposition is based on a field experiment for the procurement and delivery of 36 problematic spare parts.

The practice intervention verified the intended outcomes of increased cost and delivery performance, yielding improved customer service through a switchover to AM according to situational context. The successful operational integration of dynamic additive and static conventional supply was triggered by the generative mechanisms of highly interactive model-based supplier relationships and insignificant transaction costs.

The dynamic decision-making proposal extends the product-specific make-to-order practice to the general-purpose build-to-model that selects the mode of supply and supplier for individual spare parts at an operational level through model-based interactions with AM suppliers. The successful outcome of the experiment prompted the case company to begin the introduction of AM into the company's spare parts supply chain.

Additive Manufacturing technology (AMT) is swiftly gaining prominence to induce automation and innovation in manufacturing systems. It holds immense potential to change supply chain dynamics by providing the possibility of printing objects on demand. This study thus formulates and analyzes the framework to incorporate AMT to handle the spare parts supply chain management (SPSCM) in capital-intensive industries by identifying and assessing the critical success factors (CSFs).

Assessment of the CSFs is performed using the novel Grey Causal Modeling method (GCM) with the objective of making SPSCM resilient and efficient. GCM conducts causal analysis by taking into consideration cause, effects, the objectives, and the situations.

Findings indicate that; Logistics Lead Time (SD4), Time to manufacture (SD3), Management Support (SD11), and Risk Management (SD20) are the most prominent causal factor having a maximum impact when incorporating AMT in SPSCM. The results also reveal that the performance of manufacturing organizations that adopt AMT is substantially influenced by internal and external factors such as Management Support (SD11) and Government Regulations (SD16).

This research provides valuable information for getting the global spare parts supply chain equipped for the post-COVID age, where digital technologies such as AMT will be fundamental for bolstering supply chain resilience and efficiency.

This research proposes a framework for performance assessment when incorporating AMT in SPSCM. Study also demonstrates methodological application of novel Grey Causal Modelling technique using a real case in a spare parts manufacturing industry in India.

Innovative startups have begun a trend using laser sintering (LS) technology patents expiration, namely, by introducing LS additive manufacturing (AM) machines that can overcome utilization barriers, such as the costliness of machines and productivity limitation. The recent rise of this trend has led the authors to investigate this new class of machines in novel settings, including hub configuration. There are various supply chain configurations to supply spare parts in industrial operations. This paper aims to explore the promise of a production configuration that combines the benefits of centralized production with the flexibility of local manufacturing without the huge costs related to it.

This study quantitatively examines the feasibility of different AM-enabled spare parts supply chain configurations. Using cost data extracted from a case study, three scenarios per AM machine technology are modeled and compared.

Results suggest that hub production configuration depending on the utilized AM machines can provide economic efficiency and effectiveness to reduce equipment downtime. While previous studies have suggested the need for AM machines with efficiency for single part production for a distributed supply chain, the findings in this research illustrate the positive relationship between multi-part production capability and the feasibility of a hub manufacturing configuration establishment.

This study explores the promise of a production configuration that combines the benefits of centralized production with the flexibility of local manufacturing without the huge costs related to it. Although the existing body of knowledge contains research on production decentralization, research on various levels of decentralization is lacking. Using a real-world case study, this study aims to compare the feasibility of different levels of decentralization for AM-enabled spare parts supply chains.

The purpose of this research was to study the impacts of adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) for spare parts procurement, specifically in the context of supply chain resilience (SCR) especially regarding efficient spare parts inventory management. Furthermore, key narratives in the adoption of AM toward better SCR are explored.

In-depth interviews with semi-structured open-ended questionnaire were conducted to collect primary qualitative data from 24 supply chain management (SCM) experts. Respondents consisted of experts across various industries. The data were analyzed by thematic content analysis method.

The results indicated that AM could be a suitable tool to reduce dependence on original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for spare parts procurement. Data analysis also revealed that AM adoption might lead to significant cost and lead time reduction. Designs protected as intellectual properties (IP), substantive post-processing requirements and material compatibility were revealed to be barriers in adoption.

The impacts of utilizing AM for procurement of spare parts on the overall resilience of the supply chain were highlighted. Theoretical analysis of the findings was based on theoretical aspects of SCR. This was especially regarding efficient spare parts inventory management. The study results revealed the factors responsible adoption of the AM technology. A novel approach was undertaken to study the effect of AM adoption on “time-to-market” of newly launched products.

The research provided insights regarding practical applications of AM adoption in spare parts procurement. The study could be beneficial to the early adopters of AM across industries for making managerial decisions. Unfamiliarity of supply chain managers with the AM technology was believed to be a major reason to adopt the technology. The study provided essential inputs regarding challenges and alternate adoption strategies of AM. Thus, the research was believed to be of potential value for creating awareness among supply chain managers regarding AM technology.

The research provided new insights on the impact of AM adoption in the context of SCR toward efficient spare parts inventory management. Various limiting and facilitating factors specific to Indian context were also explored.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the forms that combinations of digital manufacturing, logistics and equipment use are likely to take and how these novel combinations may affect the relationship among logistics service providers (LSPs), users and manufacturers of equipment.

Brian Arthur’s theory of combinatorial technological evolution is applied to examine possible digital manufacturing-driven transformations. The F-18 Super Hornet is used as an illustrative example of a service supply chain for a complex product.

The introduction of digital manufacturing will likely result in hybrid solutions, combining conventional logistics, digital manufacturing and user operations. Direct benefits can be identified in the forms of life cycle extension and the increased availability of parts in challenging locations. Furthermore, there are also opportunities for both equipment manufacturers and LSPs to adopt new roles, thereby supporting the efficient and sustainable use of digital manufacturing.

The phenomenon of digital manufacturing-driven transformations of service supply chains for complex product does not yet fully exist in the real world, and its study requires cross-disciplinary collaboration. Thus, the implication for research is to use a design science approach for early-stage explorative research on the form and function of novel combinations.

Digital manufacturing as a general-purpose technology gives LSPs an opportunity to consolidate demand from initial users and incrementally deploy capacity closer to new users. Reengineering the products that a manufacture currently uses is needed to increase the utilization of digital manufacturing.

The authors outline a typology of digital manufacturing-driven transformations and identify propositions to be explored in further research and practice.

Spare Parts Management (SPM) and Industry 4.0 has proven their importance. However, employment of Industry 4.0 solutions for SPM is at emerging stage. To address the issue, this article is aimed toward a systematic literature review on SPM in Industry 4.0 era and identification of research gaps in the field with prospects.

Research articles were reviewed and analyzed through a content-based analysis using four step process model. The proposed framework consists of five categories such as Inventory Management, Types of Spares, Circularity based on 6Rs, Performance Indicators and Strategic and Operational. Based on these categories, a total of 118 research articles published between 1998 and 2022 were reviewed.

The technological solutions of Industry 4.0 concepts have provided numerous opportunities for SPM. Industry 4.0 hi-tech solutions can enhance agility, operational efficiency, quality of product and service, customer satisfaction, sustainability and profitability.

The review of articles provides an integrated framework which recognizes implementation issues and challenges in the field. The proposed framework will support academia and practitioners toward implementation of technological solutions of Industry 4.0 in SPM. Implementation of Industry 4.0 in SPM may help in improving the triple bottom line aspect of sustainability which can make significant contribution to academia, practitioners and society.

The examination uncovered a scarcity of research in the intersection of SPM and Industry 4.0 concepts, suggesting a significant opportunity for additional investigative efforts.

This study extends and refines the current knowledge on emerging supply chain designs (SCDs) for industrial additive manufacturing (AM) and manufacturing firms' rationales in selecting them.

Following an exploratory research design, a multiple-case study is conducted in the context of industrial AM. It focuses on two key dimensions of SCD, the geographic dispersion and governance structure. Four cohesive AM SCD configurations are characterized and form the basis for exploring the rationales for the SCD decision of manufacturing firms.

The findings indicate that manufacturing firms' SCD for industrial AM depends on the trade-off between economies of scale in a centralized setting and the market potential from customer proximity realized by decentral AM. Furthermore, the control of suppliers and the reevaluation of manufacturing firms' core competencies guide the governance choice. Many of the identified rationales currently drive manufacturing firms toward in-house AM at a centralized location or distributed AM in a secure, firm-owned network.

The arguments for the AM SCD choices are illustrated. They provide guidance for managers of manufacturing firms when implementing industrial AM.

The study reveals and enhances the understanding of why the extant academic expectation of decentralized and outsourced AM is not sufficiently reflected in current industry practice. Thereby, the study provides a basis for elaborative decision-support research on AM SCDs.

This paper reviews research on the intersection between additive manufacturing technologies (AMTs) and business models (BM). The purpose of the review is to synthesize past research for the benefit of researchers, to describe the dominant research themes and aggregated research questions and to identify research gaps in the literature.

A systematic literature review of secondary data was conducted. The 288 publications in the review appeared in peer-reviewed journal articles, conference proceedings papers and book chapters. All publications are listed in this paper by publication year and publication source. The review also distinguishes between empirical and non-empirical studies, describes methodological approaches and categorizes the publications by unit of analysis and by theme.

Research on the intersection between AMT and BM, which has increased significantly in the last three years, reflects firms' and industries' growing interest in digital manufacturing processes. This review identifies twelve dominant themes in the literature that contribute important insights to the field. Aggregated research questions are identified in each theme. Research advances and gaps are presented. Four themes relate directly to BM: (1) BM types, (2) BM and technology, (3) BM design and processes and (4) BM value and supply chains.

This review is the first systematic literature review on the intersection between AMT and BM. As such, the review provides a guide for researchers as they explore gaps in the research and develop research questions on an aggregated level. The review also supports users of such technologies as they review their business practices and models in the so-called Digital Revolution.