Examining the progress in additive manufacturing in supporting lean, green and sustainable manufacturing: a systematic review

Abstract

The quest for waste reduction and the development of manufacturing processes that meet the economic, social and environmental requirements necessitate this study. Additive manufacturing is an emerging digital technology that can be used to seamlessly develop a product through material deposition in layers. The study aims to investigate the progress made in the development of additive manufacturing to support lean, green and sustainable manufacturing. The study employs a systematic literature review approach, specifically the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). A total of 158 articles identified from different academic databases that detailed empirical, conceptual and theoretical findings were reviewed, having matched the selection criteria. The outcome of the study indicated that additive manufacturing can be used to achieve waste reduction, reduction in emission generation and carbon footprints with significant energy and material conservation. The findings also indicated that the additive manufacturing process also boasts time- and cost-effectiveness during manufacturing compared to the conventional manufacturing technique. Although the process is energy intensive, careful selection of the suitable additive manufacturing process to be employed based on the requirements coupled with a proper product design may result in considerable energy savings at the preprocessing, processing or post-processing stages. This work adds to the understanding of additive manufacturing and contributes to the existing literature on the relationship among additive, lean, and green manufacturing. The study may help manufacturing organizations in their quest to minimize waste generation and achieve material and energy efficiency throughout their product lifecycles.