Delphi Prospection on Additive Manufacturing in 2030: Implications for Education and Employment in Spain.

M Pérez-Pérez,Miguel Sebastián,Emilio Gómez

doi:10.3390/ma11091500

M Pérez-Pérez, Miguel Sebastián + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ma11091500

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Abstract

The term additive manufacturing (AM) groups together a set of technologies with similar characteristics forming part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. AM is being developed globally, as evidenced by the standards published by and the agreements between the ISO and the ASTM in 2013. The purpose of this paper is to anticipate the main changes that will occur in AM by 2030 as forecast by more than 100 Spanish experts through Delphi prospection performed in 2018. In this way, the areas, aspects, and business models with the greatest probabilities of occurrence are obtained. The need for technical experts with specific knowledge and skills requires changes to current training syllabuses. Such changes will enable students to have the profiles foreseen in these job trends. The encouragement of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) training through the introduction of AM in study plans may be an appropriate alternative. Finally, the consequences of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for the employment market and on jobs, particularly in Spain, are set out and the latest Spanish Research, Development, and Innovation (R&D + I) plans are summarized as the framework for the possible implementation and development of AM.

Highlights

The term additive manufacturing (AM) groups together a set of technologies with similar characteristics forming part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Model data, generally layer by layer, as opposed to manufacturing methods based on the elimination of material and shaping” according to the definition given in the ISO/ASTM 52900: 2015 standard [1]; the term “additive manufacturing” (AM) groups together a set of technologies with similar characteristics in terms of manufacturing forms with the ability to generate parts starting from a digital design and without using additional tools, generally by applying material one layer after another [2]
It was decided not to use the real-time application introduced by Gordon and Pease in 2006 [48] in which participants in a prospection could see the responses of the group of those who had responded previously, so that this information could influence their response [49]

Summary

Introduction

The term additive manufacturing (AM) groups together a set of technologies with similar characteristics forming part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The purpose of this paper is to anticipate the main changes that will occur in AM by 2030 as forecast by more than 100 Spanish experts through Delphi prospection performed in 2018 In this way, the areas, aspects, and business models with the greatest probabilities of occurrence are obtained. “Additive Manufacturing is a process for joining materials to manufacture objects starting from 3D model data, generally layer by layer, as opposed to manufacturing methods based on the elimination of material and shaping” according to the definition given in the ISO/ASTM 52900: 2015 standard [1]; the term “additive manufacturing” (AM) groups together a set of technologies with similar characteristics in terms of manufacturing forms with the ability to generate parts starting from a digital design and without using additional tools, generally by applying material one layer after another [2]. Changes in the sustainability of manufacturing [21,22,23]

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