Application of Additive Manufacturing for Resilient Healthcare Sector

Abstract

With the outbreak of the global pandemic, supply chains were disrupted worldwide. This led to demand and supply shocks. The need to build resilient supply chains, especially in the healthcare sector was realized. Under such circumstances, additive manufacturing (AM) emerged as a preferable solution. AM is an exciting technology whose benefits are being readily embraced, with real-life medical applications being developed daily. Its flexible manufacturing method provides huge potential for innovation in the healthcare sector. This study performs a systematic literature review of AM literature and its use in the healthcare sector. The study provides an overview of AM including its applications, benefits, and challenges in the healthcare sector, and provides directions for future research. The findings of this study will motivate stakeholders in the healthcare sector to adopt additive manufacturing technology as a means to improve customizability, reduce lead time and enable rapid market responsiveness in times of disruption.