Decentralized Spare Parts Production for the Aftermarket using Additive Manufacturing - A Literature Review

Abstract

Additive manufacturing of spare parts to supply the aftermarket of long-life primary products beyond the End of Production has gained attention, because economic production of small batch sizes and a decentralized production close to the place of demand has become possible. This not only changes production processes but also affects the design of supply networks. In this paper, a literature review is conducted to identify and evaluate approaches in the scientific literature to determine the effects of using additive manufacturing processes in spare parts production for the aftermarket, considering the spatial and temporal configuration of a supply chain. The procedure of the literature review consists of three phases: plan, conduct and report and is broken down into six steps: research question and objective, scope, search, analysis, synthesis, and discussion. Out of more than 650 identified publications, 31 articles relevant to the research question were extracted using formal and content-related criteria. The PRISMA flow diagram is used to present the selection process. The results are objectively described using descriptive statistics and a keyword analysis. The publications are subsequently compared based on predefined evaluation criteria. On this basis, research gaps and future research needs are identified.