ECONOMIC IMPACT OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
Creating flexibility in synergy with conventional manufacturing technologies.
FOR ASSEMBLY TOOLING IN AUTOMATED SERIAL PRODUCTION
Creating flexibility in synergy with conventional manufacturing technologies
Challenge
Highly automated assembly systems used in serial production must become more flexible to respond to rapidly changing markets, increasing product complexity, and a growing number of product variants. Traditional tooling for assembly systems often requires high investment costs and specialized designs, which makes modifications expensive and time-consuming when products change. As a result, manufacturers face low flexibility and high financial risks when adapting production systems. There is therefore a need for a systematic method to evaluate and select manufacturing technologies that can improve flexibility, efficiency, and quality while minimizing investment risks.
Concept
The research proposes a design process methodology and decision guideline that supports industrial engineers in selecting the most appropriate manufacturing technology for assembly tooling. The approach integrates additive manufacturing and conventional manufacturing technologies, enabling engineers to evaluate different design options based on technical and economic criteria. The methodology helps determine the most suitable combination of materials, manufacturing processes, and design solutions to achieve optimal performance and flexibility.
Implementation
The methodology is structured into three phases:
1.Analysis phase: Identification of user needs and definition of functional requirements for the tooling.
2.Concept phase: Development and comparison of design concepts with different materials and manufacturing processes, evaluated on technical and economic performance.
3.Implementation phase: Calculation of the overall economic impact, including quality improvement, lead-time reduction, and cost savings.The decision guideline was validated through two case studies involving tooling in flexible automated assembly systems.
Impact
The results demonstrate that combining additive manufacturing with conventional manufacturing provides the highest economic and technical benefits. Additive manufacturing offers advantages in complex geometries and customization, while conventional manufacturing ensures high dimensional accuracy, surface quality, and cost efficiency for large production volumes. The proposed methodology supports better decision-making and enables manufacturers to improve flexibility, efficiency, quality, and overall economic performance in automated assembly systems.
