Management of digital additive manufacturing: Features and perspectives

Abstract

Aim. To find and argue points of growth of additive manufacturing, as well as to justify the rel­evance and significance of new business models using digital platforms.Tasks. To consider the features of management of digital additive manufacturing; to analyze the reasons for the low rate of additive technology development; to show the prospects of dig­ital development of additive manufacturing; to justify the importance of digital platforms for additive services as a new business model and prove that digital additive manufacturing can be characterized as a system innovation.Methods. General scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, monographic, grouping) were used in the research. The best Russian and world practices, fundamental and applied works of na­tional and foreign researchers, scientists, practitioners in the field of management, digital transformation were studied using the search of relevant research in open sources, both in ge­neral purpose search engines, and in specialized search engines and databases.Results. It is proved that digital additive manufacturing should be regarded as a system in­novation, and its large-scale benefits can be realized if the technology is complemented by va­rious innovations in products, processes and services. From the author's point of view, the po­tential and prospects of a new business model in the online market of additive design and manu­facturing are obvious: a digital platform of additive services for manufacturing parts from various materials.Conclusions. Additive manufacturing plays a vital role in Industry 4.0 because of the shortened cycle time of the lean process and the high degree of decentralization of production processes. Therefore, a systematic approach using digital platforms is required to unlock their capabilities. Customers who require parts produced using this technology can place their designs on a plat­form and find a manufacturing partner based on available technical resources, geographic loca­tion, and the amount of anticipated cost. Implementing a digital platform design strategy that integrates all stages of the design and production process for different products, facilitates data traceability and product reproducibility on different additive manufacturing machines, greatly increases customer value.