Abstract
This paper reports the study and development case of an innovative application of the Cloud Manufacturing paradigm. Based on the definition of an appropriate web-based application, the infrastructure is able to connect the possible client requests and the relative supply chain product/process development capabilities and then attempt to find the best available solutions. In particular, the main goal of the developed system, called AMSA (Additive Manufacturing Spare parts market Application), is the definition of a common platform to supply different kinds of services that have the following common reference points in the Additive Manufacturing Technologies (DFAM, Design For Additive Manufacturing): product development, prototypes, or small series production and reverse engineering activities to obtain Computer-Aided Design (CAD) models starting from a physical object. The definition of different kinds of services allows satisfying several client needs such as innovative product definition characterized by high performance in terms of stiffness/weight ratio, the possibility of manufacturing small series, such as in the motorsport field, and the possibility of defining CAD models for the obsolete parts for which the geometrical information is missed. The AMSA platform relies on the reconfigurable supply chain that is dynamic, and it depends on the client needs. For example, when the client requires the manufacture of a small series of a component, AMSA allows the technicians to choose the best solutions in terms of delivery time, price, and logistics. Therefore, the suppliers that contribute to the definition of the dynamic supply chain have an important role. For these reasons, the AMSA platform represents an important and innovative tool that is able to link the suppliers to the customers in the best manner in order to obtain services that are characterized by a high-performance level. Therefore, a provisional model has been implemented that allows filtering the technologies according to suitable performance indexes. A specific aspect for which AMSA can be considered unique is related with the given possibility to access Design for Additive Manufacturing Services through the Web in accordance with the possible additive manufacturing technologies.
Highlights
The manufacturing sector has seen several changes in its own reference markets
The case study results indicate that 12.73% of the total production cost could be potentially reduced when applying the proposed dynamic process planning algorithm based on the complexity level of geometries
The AMSA methodology was created with the aim to provide a functional tool, that is integrable within a web platform to favor the selection of the most appropriate additive technologies and/or machinery depending on the product characteristics
Summary
The manufacturing sector has seen several changes in its own reference markets These changes are linked to different factors such as the advent of new technologies and customer needs. In addition to the technologies, the customer needs have assumed a strategic importance because they are going toward high quality levels, high customization, and high complexity of the products, leading from the “Mass Production” model to the “Mass Customization” one. Another important aspect that supports these market changes is the new capabilities that the IoT (Internet of Things) offers. This term is a neologism that refers to an Internet extension toward the world of objects and places, which was introduced by Kevin Ashton in 1999 and further developed by the research agency Gartner [1]
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