The Role of Digitalisation in Early Design for Additive Manufacturing

Licentiatavhandling, 2024

Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers various advantages in both product design and supply chain. However, its industrial uptake has been less than initially
expected, with digitalisation as a significant but often overlooked obstacle. At the same time, design plays a crucial role across the product lifecycle. This thesis, therefore, explores the impact of digitalisation on Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM). Key findings reveal that the AM process requires tailored data management, information flows, and knowledge management strategies. To benefit fully from AM, it is essential to understand both its
advantages and the conditions necessary to achieve them, revealing a practical knowledge gap.
This research identifies that current design and manufacturing process selection methods frequently overlook the need for early design-phase suitability analysis, critical for maximising the effectiveness of DfAM guidelines. The findings suggest that AM design may require a precise formulation or, in some cases, reformulation of requirements. Additionally, systematic strategies are required to collect and manage information and data supporting informed manufacturing decisions.
To address these needs, the Manufacturing Process Decision Support (MPDS) method was developed, incorporating key factors influencing manufacturing process decisions. This structured approach facilitates assessing the feasibility and suitability of AM in the early design phase, enabling greater benefits from DfAM guidelines.
Future directions include validation of MPDS in an industrial setting. Further, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques can be explored to advance decision support by enhancing data collection, organization, and analysis. The integration of sustainability assessments in such early decision-making remains essential but underexplored, a critical step toward achieving widespread and “proper” industrial adoption of AM.