Assessing the effect of supply chain collaboration on the critical barriers to additive manufacturing implementation in supply chains

Abstract

This study proposes a decision support model to explore the effect of supply chain collaboration on the existing barriers to implementing additive manufacturing in manufacturing supply chains. Based on data from Nigerian manufacturing companies, this study determined the severity of the barriers to implementing additive manufacturing in supply chains and then analyzed the impact of supply chain collaboration initiatives on the investigated barriers. The results indicate that barriers related to the technological category are the most severe as well as pinpoint the systemic relationships among the investigated barriers and determine the supply chain collaboration initiatives that are strongly impacting on the barriers. Furthermore, the study results illustrate that the structural barriers that exhibit the highest sense of priority are lack of infrastructural support, insufficient top management support, inadequate government support, low relative advantage and absence of competitive pressure. Hence, this article presents reliable guidelines to manufacturing firms to be aware of the barriers and ensure the development of proper strategies for successful additive manufacturing project outcomes.