Understanding the role and capabilities of Internet of Things-enabled Additive Manufacturing through its application areas

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of the effective utilisation of internet-based technologies in Additive Manufacturing (AM) through its practical implications in various areas. The key technologies that comprise the Industry 4.0 paradigm and have been previously implemented into the AM process possess immense potential to bring about miraculous manufacturing changes. The ongoing pandemic situation, too, has pushed the industries into the deployment of advanced technologies to deal effectively with the major challenges that followed COVID-19 and to keep up with customers' expectations. Therefore, manufacturing industries need to adopt the latest internet-based technologies into AM, especially for lean and optimised manufacturing and perceived proficiency of advanced printing technologies. This paper identifies goals of sustainable manufacturing that can be accomplished as a result of implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) in 3D printing technology. Also, since the Internet of Things-enabled AM process is an entirely new concept, limited sources are available in this field. Pubmed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases are used to conduct literature reviews. The study conducted is the most up-to-date information on Internet of Things-enabled AM and is rigorously analyzed to identify prospective application areas. Thus, IoT-enabled AM helps in producing sustainable solutions for humanity and in meeting customers' demands in the stipulated period, thereby contributing to mass personalisation, which is the ultimate goal of Industry 4.0.