Is COVID-19 the "Catalyst" to Incorporate 3D Printing Technology into the Manufacturing Industry?

Area of Science:

• Manufacturing Engineering
• Industrial Technology
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for rapid manufacturing of healthcare equipment.
• 3D printing (additive manufacturing) emerged as a flexible solution for producing critical supplies.
• Existing manufacturing models faced challenges in responding to urgent demands.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on integrating 3D printing into the manufacturing industry.
• To explore new production models for mass production using 3D printing technology.
• To propose and evaluate novel factory structures for enhanced manufacturing capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Observational analysis of hobbyist and enterprise initiatives in 3D printing healthcare equipment.
• Development of two conceptual factory typologies: Adjust-Semi Cloud Factory 1 and Semi-Cloud Factory 2.
• Proposal of a knowledge management-based framework to measure factory effectiveness.

Main Results:

• 3D printing technology can be adapted for mass production through innovative factory structures.
• The proposed Adjust-Semi Cloud Factory 1 and Semi-Cloud Factory 2 offer potential for flexible and responsive manufacturing.
• A knowledge management framework provides a method for assessing the efficacy of these new production models.

Conclusions:

• The fight against COVID-19 has significantly contributed to the incorporation of 3D printing in manufacturing.
• New production models and factory typologies are essential for leveraging 3D printing for mass production.
• Knowledge management is a critical factor in optimizing the effectiveness of advanced manufacturing systems.