Examining legitimatisation of additive manufacturing in the interplay between innovation, lean manufacturing and sustainability

  1. Abby Ghobadian 1
  2. Irene Talavera 2
  3. Arijit Bhattacharya 3
  4. Vikas Kumar 4
  5. Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes 5
  6. Nicholas O'Regan 4
  1. 1 University of Reading
    info

    University of Reading

    Reading, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/05v62cm79

  2. 2 Henley Business School, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH, Berkshire, United Kingdom
  3. 3 University of East Anglia
    info

    University of East Anglia

    Norwich, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/026k5mg93

  4. 4 University of the West of England
    info

    University of the West of England

    Brístol, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/02nwg5t34

  5. 5 University of Derby
    info

    University of Derby

    Derby, Reino Unido

    ROR https://ror.org/02yhrrk59

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Revista:
International Journal of Production Economics

ISSN: 0925-5273,  1873-7579

Año de publicación: 2020

Volumen: 219

Páginas: 457-468

Tipo: Artículo

DOI: 10.1016/J.IJPE.2018.06.001 GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openAcceso abierto editor

Otras publicaciones en: International Journal of Production Economics

Resumen

In response to hypercompetition, globalisation and increasing consumer expectations, many manufacturing firms have embraced lean manufacturing (LM). The primary goal of LM is to reduce/eliminate waste (muda). There is broad consensus as to what constitutes waste, but not on LM implementation. Implementation is not prescriptive with each firm relying on a different combination of administrative, process and routine change/innovation. Lean manufacturing brings about incremental change relying on administrative, process and routine levers. It best fits mass production where process variability is low and demand is high and stable. Lean manufacturing can significantly reduce waste but not eliminate waste, and the attained benefits have not always lived up to expectations. Additive manufacturing (AM) promises to revolutionise manufacturing beyond recognition by eliminating or drastically removing the waste thereby achieving sustainability. But AM is at its formative stage – the space between the concept and growth - where many promising breakthrough technologies fail. To reach its full potential, it needs to achieve high-scale adoption. In this paper, we examine how AM can significantly reduce/eliminate waste and how it can deliver triple bottom line on an unprecedented scale. We contend that AM, if adopted deeply and widely, will take LM to its final frontier, but there are a number of impediments to this end. We identify legitimation as critical to its wide diffusion and develop a number of propositions expediting AM's legitimation. Legitimation of AM will ensure its deep and broad diffusion and should this happen, waste will be a thing of the past an important stride towards sustainable future.

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