Colloquia

Summary

This research investigates the potential of Additive Manufacturing (AM) for on-demand production of spare parts within mass production environments, as an assignment from Trivium Packaging. The study aims to simplify the decision-making process for selecting between conventional manufacturing (CM) and AM, particularly for non-expert users. A comprehensive literature review identifies existing frameworks and highlights a gap in user-friendly tools for the full AM process, including post-processing. To address this, a decision support model was developed to estimate AM production costs—covering printing, material, heat treatment, and post-processing—and determine feasibility for in-house production. This model is integrated into a broader framework aligned with Trivium’s existing spare part decision tree. Validation through user testing using the Think-aloud methodology demonstrates the model’s usability and reliability, while also identifying areas for improvement such as material naming, post-processing clarity, and language accessibility. The resulting framework enables informed, accessible decision-making for AM adoption in spare part production, supporting reduced lead times and inventory costs.