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Recent technological advances in three-dimensional printing (3DP) may disrupt traditional manufacturing and logistics processes. Because the increasing availability of 3DP service centers, affordable 3D printers, and online platforms empower consumers to design and print objects at home, companies must determine the motives that lead consumers to become prosumers so that they can establish appropriate business models and supply chains. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to identify factors that drive consumer acceptance and use of 3DP technologies.

The explanatory conceptual framework, based on the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, undergoes empirical testing with a sample of 196 3DP consumers who participated in an online survey.

Facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation and a do-it-yourself mentality are key determinants of consumer acceptance and use intention of 3DP technology.

Companies can use these insights about consumers’ motivation to determine whether their use of 3DP technology threatens current business models or supply chains. In turn, they can develop new ideas about how to adapt these features, as well as identify opportunities for new revenue streams.

Unlike most extant literature on 3DP in manufacturing and logistics domains, this study takes consumers’ point of view to shed light on an issue typically investigated from an operations management perspective.

This paper aims to research the tribological features of AISI 1035 steel, boronized at various parameters.

The samples were boronized via box boronizing method. By using Ekabor 2 powders, boronizing was conducted at 840, 880, 920, 960 and 1,000°C for two, four and six hours. Wear resistance of boronized samples at determined parameters were analysed. Wear experiments were conducted under 40 N constant load at pin‐on‐disk experiment setup. Also, microstructures and microhardness values of boronized samples were analysed to determine the most suitable boronizing parameters against wearing.

As a result of this study, the following findings are reported: it was determined as the temperature increased, the thicker the boride layer obtained during the boronizing. In the case of longer boronizing time, the distinct columnar structure was clearer. Whenever applying higher temperature and longer boronizing time, wear decreased and hardness values increased. It was also determined that when boronizing was conducted at 900 and 1,000°C for at least four to six hours, better results were obtained. Furthermore, the increment in the boronizing temperature and longer duration caused an increase in hardness from the surface to inwards and thus a decrease in wear ratio.

In the present study, only 40 N is used for a wear load and that is the limitation of the research.

Boronizing of the parts using 900 and 1,000°C temperature and four to six hours time, the better results can be obtained. Wear resistance can be improved in the determined temperature interval for boronizing process. Therefore, the industrial firms can be gained huge economical profits.

The outcome of the study will be beneficial for the academicians and industrial firms working on wear process. The service life of the steel parts can be extended via boronizing of steels working on quarries.

Plasma transferred arc (PTA) coating is a novel method for surface-coating applications. In this method, the substrate is melted using a plasma arc, and surfacing agents such as carbides are introduced to the melt pool. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of boron carbide (B₄C) in nickel-based coating on AISI 4140 steel.

Samples were tested on a ball-on-disc wear device, and the microstructure, as well as wear properties, were investigated using SEM and XRD.

The effect of B₄C addition was shown to be linear, with a p-value of 0.0248, indicating strong evidence. The reason for this increase was found to be the increase in third-body generation resulting from hard phases that form couples with the soft base material, nickel. It was concluded that using 6 per cent B₄C was the optimal solution.

In the literature, the effect of neither low temperature on a nickel coating with B₄C nor B₄C as a single surfacing agent in a nickel base has been investigated.

This study aims to present a direct repurposing activity of consumed high-speed steel (HSS) hacksaw blade into fine-looking handmade knives to increase the awareness about sustainability by evaluating the relationship between the quality of material alloys and heat treatment as well as cultural aspects such as the treatment on the HSS hacksaw blade that will affect the material hardness.

The quality of HSS hacksaw blade samples was analyzed by using scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) through the identification of material element’s properties. Besides, finite element structural analysis was performed by using SolidWorks Simulation to evaluate the material performance by determining the Von Mises stress to find the factor of safety of the knife designs. Then, the effect of tribology implementation toward mechanical properties of the handmade knives was determined by using a Rockwell C hardness test.

It is found that the material composition of carbon plays a vital role in increasing and improving the hardness and wear resistance of the HSS hacksaw blade. The Von Mises stress obtained is lower than the yield strength of 3,250 MPa by 71.44 per cent with the safety factor of 3.58,which means the design will not be subjected to failure. The mechanical properties of the HSS hacksaw blade such as hardness were determined averagely by 5 per cent of hardness increase.

It has been validated that the tribological effect toward the material characteristic leads to hardness changes which contributed to the enhancement of tool life of the HSS hacksaw blade, thus producing better quality knives.

This study aims to assess the following question: “which information processing approach, formalization or centralization, responds to procurement complexity and how does this affect procurement performance in knowledge-intensive procurements?”

This study draws on a survey of 294 Project Managers with recent experience of knowledge-intensive procurement. It uses AMOS version 21 to perform confirmatory factor analysis and structural modeling to assess the hypotheses.

The findings suggest that procurement complexity directly encourages formalization and that formalization has significant, positive effects on procurement performance. Centralization, on the other hand, appears not to respond to procurement complexity and has negligible effects on procurement performance.

Drawing on information processing theory, this study highlights the importance of two information management approaches in knowledge-intensive procurement, and that such procurement situations share similarities with new product development and other innovation-rich, team-based activities. Knowledge-intensive procurement situations, therefore, require different information management practices than other types of procurement.

The findings suggest that procurement complexity directly encourages formalization and that formalization has significant, positive effects on procurement performance. Centralization, on the other hand, appears not to respond to procurement complexity and has negligible effects on procurement performance.

The study is the first to examine information management approaches (formalization and centralization) in knowledge-intensive procurement as responses to project complexity, and as contributors to procurement performance.

A lack of sourcing-specific team research prevents a full understanding of sourcing teamwork effectiveness (STE). Moreover, the limited purchasing and supply management (PSM) team literature often tends to focus on an aggregate group level. The paper makes a step towards adopting an individual actor perspective on teamwork effectiveness with an emphasis on the context of sourcing, explicating the effects of team-member knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs), and examining how these relationships are moderated by a common learning experience of strategic sourcing masterclass.

Based on a cross-sectional survey, this study analyses a sample of 90 sourcing team members from a global aerospace manufacturing company using hierarchical regression analysis.

The results suggest that four of the five KSAs positively and significantly affect STE; the exception was collaborative problem solving. Masterclass learning outcomes were found to positively moderate the effects of these KSAs on STE, again exclusive of the collaborative problem-solving KSA.

Cross-sectional design focused only on the aerospace sector may affect generalizability. Further, longitudinal research designs would capture the effects of the common learning experience over an extended period.

Sourcing team members could be selected based on having KSAs which significantly affect teamwork effectiveness. Training and development for sourcing teams should combine guided reflexivity and cross-training to deliver learning outcomes that create similar team mental models.

The study provides an individual team-member perspective on the functioning of sourcing teams which is absent in the extant research. It contributes to the very limited research base on skills in PSM.

This paper aims to cover all the aspects of development, investigation and analysis phases to evaluate the slurry erosion performance of test coatings. The powders having composition of Ni-20Al₂O₃ and Ni-15Al2O₃-5TiO₂ were deposited on CA6NM grade turbine steel by using high velocity flame spray (HVFS) technique. The characterization of the coatings was done with the help of SEM/EDS and XRD techniques. Various properties such as micro-hardness and bonding strength of the coatings were also evaluated. Thereafter, these coatings were subjected to an indigenously developed high speed slurry erosion tester at different levels of rotational speed, erodent particle size and slurry concentration. The effect of these parameters on the erosion behavior of coatings was also evaluated. The slurry erosion tests and SEM of the eroded surfaces revealed remarkable improvement in slurry erosion resistance of Ni-15Al₂O₃-5TiO₂ coating in comparison with Ni-20Al₂O₃ coating.

Two different compositions of HVFS coating were developed onto CA6NM steel. Subsequently, these coatings were evaluated by means of mechanical and microstructural characterization. Further, slurry erosion testing was done to analyze the erosive wear behavior of developed coatings.

The coatings were successfully developed by HVFS process. Cross-sectional microscopic analysis of sprayed coatings revealed a continuous and defect-free contact between substrate and coating. Ni-15Al₂O₃-5TiO₂ coating showed higher value of bond strength in comparison with Ni-20Al₂O₃ coating. Under all the testing conditions, Ni-15Al₂O₃-5TiO₂ coatings showed higher resistance to slurry erosion in comparison with Ni-20Al₂O₃ coatings. Rotational speed, average particle size of erodent and slurry concentration were found to have proportional effect on specific mass loss of coatings. The mixed behavior (brittle as well as ductile) of the material removal mechanism was observed for the coatings.

From the literature review, it was found that researchers have documented the various studies on Ni-Al₂O₃, Ni-TiO₂ and Al₂O₃-TiO₂ coatings. No one has ascertained the synergetic effect of Alumina and Titania on the slurry erosion performance of Nickel-based coating. In view of this, the authors have developed Ni-Al₂O₃ and Ni-Al₂O₃-TiO₂ coatings, and an attempt has been made to compare their mechanical, microstructural and slurry erosion characteristics.

Although the adoption of 3D printing technology in many sectors such as medicine, aerospace, jewelry and the food industry is remarkable, the adoption of 3D printing technology by hobbyists remains unknown. The purpose of this paper is to map the attitude of individuals toward this new technology, define critical factors that have an impact on hobbyists’ behavior and, finally, explore the impact of 3D printing on social, economic and environmental changes, as 3D printing technology redesigns manufacturing, thereby impacting many sectors of day-to-day life.

A survey has been carried out on Greek hobbyists, and valuable conclusions have been drawn. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire survey performed on a sample of 344 Greek consumers in this sector. A questionnaire of 30 questions was distributed electronically.

This paper contributes to the determination of the percentage of individuals that know about 3D printing, the factors that have a significant contribution to adoption of the technology and, finally, identifies the profile of those that use 3D printing technology either in their work or for their hobby. Using a factor analysis, the authors classified users into five categories based on their attitudes towards 3D printing adoption: “innovators,” “informed,” “ecologists,” “engineers” and “re-users.”

The authors believe that understanding the predictors of 3D printing technology adoption for personal use and its benefits will overcome a pertained research gap and establish an empirical nucleus for further studies in relevant contexts. This type of research is necessary to expand the survey to other European countries.

3D printing is not new, but rather is an emerging technology. Individuals are willing to adopt this innovative technology. Based on the results of our survey, a desktop 3D printer will be necessary for every home and office in the near future.

The impact of 3D printing technology on rural life and its social implications are open questions. In this paper, by identifying the groups of hobbyists, the authors determine their particular characteristics and their perspectives on this new technology. All of what is discussed above is valuable for mapping the characteristics of those who adopt this technology.

This study is attempting to determine the behavior of individuals towards 3D printing technology, their awareness and how familiar they are with this new technological innovation.

3D food printing technology is an emerging smart technology, which because of its inbuilt capabilities, has the potential to support a sustainable supply chain and environmental quality management. This new technology needs a supportive ecosystem, and thus, this paper identifies and models the enablers for adopting 3D printing technology toward a sustainable food supply chain.

The enablers were identified through an extensive literature review and verified by domain experts. The identified enablers were modelled through the hybrid total interpretive structural modelling approach (TISM) and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach.

It emerged that stakeholders need technical know-how about the 3D printing technology, well supported by a legal framework for clear intellectual property rights ownership. Also, the industry players must have focused and clear strategic planning, considering the need for sustainable supply chains. Moreover, required product innovation as per customer needs may enhance the stakeholders' readiness to adopt this technology.

The framework proposed in this research provides managers with a hierarchy and categorization of adoption enablers which will help them adopt 3D food printing technology and improve environmental quality.

This research offers a framework for modelling the enablers for 3D food printing to develop a sustainable food supply chain using the TISM and DEMATEL techniques.

Logistics at work is rapidly changing. The changing trend is especially prominent when considering the active involvement of individuals that perform diverse forms of formal/informal “logistics work” (e.g. crowd logistics and self-collection). Thus, by conducting a synthesised review (n = 55), this study aims to provide a typology of individuals' logistics work.

The total social organisation of labour is used as a guiding framework. A deductive literature analysis is performed based on the identified journal articles.

The review findings reveal three major contexts where individuals perform logistics work: formal organisation, social community and private household, with a decreased level of formality. Under each context, individuals may be engaged in paid or unpaid activities, creating six forms of logistics work, termed as paid/voluntary professional logistics, incentivised/friendly social logistics and rewarded/free consumer logistics. Furthermore, an actor–sphere–resource–value conceptualisation of individual logistics is proposed, focussing on the chains of actors, work settings, resource input and value outcome.

The results provide a theoretical foundation for further research in individual- or consumer-centrism in logistics. Two research directions and seven research questions are presented for future investigation.