Techno-Economic Assessment between Traditional and Fused Deposition Modeling- based Additive Manufacturing Technology

DOI: 10.14416/j.ind.tech.2024.12.007

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing (3DP) is widely used in production processes and product design nowadays as 3DP can not only reduce waste generated by traditional manufacturing methods but also allow for more efficient use of materials. Accordingly, analyzing the cost-effectiveness and techno-economic assessment of 3DP in various contexts is crucial for enhancing competitiveness. In this research, we aim to study and compare the technology and production costs of medical products, specifically finger splints, produced by traditional methods and 3DP technology by assessing the machine cost, material cost, and labor cost, respectively. The traditional manufacturing based on the injection method is found to have high manufacturing costs due mainly to the mold design and fabrication, in which economies of scale are needed with the increase in manufacturing quantity. In addition, production using AM technology is analyzed following the designed experiment and the aid of the Cura platform to assess the technical and manufacturing cost for the FDM method with one and five healthcare workpieces each time. Finally, the cost analysis and breakeven point are investigated, where manufacturing one and five workpieces using FDM-based AM technology is found to be comparable to producing 2,264 and 17,123 pieces using traditional, injection manufacturing, respectively. The results from the analysis in this study are expected to be practically used as a guideline for selecting diverse production technologies and production scheduling involving traditional and AM technologies.