Evaluating and Enhancing Three-Dimensional Printing Service Providers for Rapid Prototyping Using the DEMATEL Based Network Process and VIKOR

Shin Liao,Chi-Yo Huang,Yu-Sheng Kao,Ming-Jenn Wu,Teng-Hsiang Lee

doi:10.1155/2014/349348

Abstract

During the past years, the three-dimensional printing (3DP) has become a dominant rapid prototyping (RP) technology due to its very viable process in terms of cost, speed, and sales of related equipment. Nowadays, numerous 3DP based RP services are available. Because of the capability, service quality, and pricing of the services varies, how to select a suitable 3DP based RP service provider is very critical to the companies being engaged in new product developments. However, the issue was seldom studied. To resolve this problem, a hybrid multiple-criteria decision making (HMCDM) framework for evaluating and enhancing an appropriate 3DP based RP service provider based on the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) based Network Process (DNP) as well as VIKOR (VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje) was proposed. The analytic framework was verified as feasible by an empirical study based on the opinions being provided by 3DP and RP experts. The well-verified framework can serve as the basis of future evaluation, selection, and enhancement of 3DP based RP service providers.

Highlights

The three-dimensional (3D) printing (3DP) emerged recently as one of the most promising technologies to innovate the manufacturing technology and, to revolutionize the industry
The analytic framework can serve as the basis of future selections of 3DP based rapid prototyping (RP) service providers
How a suitable 3DP based RP service provider can be evaluated, selected, and enhanced has become one of the most critical issues for firms being engaged in new product developments

Summary

Introduction

The three-dimensional (3D) printing (3DP) emerged recently as one of the most promising technologies to innovate the manufacturing technology and, to revolutionize the industry. The Economist [2] heralds 3DP as “the manufacturing technology that will change the world.”. The 3DP is one of the most potential disruptive innovations, which may impact the manufacturing, the industry, and the social change significantly. Hutchings and Martin [4] summarized that the numbers of the overall market size are small compared to the global market in 2009 for 2D inkjet technologies, of the order of US$50 billion (including hardware, media, and chemistry). McKinsey Global Institute [5] estimated that 3DP could generate economic impact of $230 billion to $550 billion per year by 2025, based on reduced cost and the value of customization; the largest source of potential impact would be from consumer uses, followed by direct manufacturing and the use of 3DP to create tools and molds

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