ABSTRACT

In order to drive momentum with the adoption of any new technology, management should focus on short term wins. With respect to additive manufacturing (AM), the focus should be on using the new technology for simple, cost-effective parts prior to focusing on complex, expensive parts. Training should begin with simpler parts and simpler technology and move to more difficult parts once people within the company become more familiar with the technology. At first, senior leadership and the guiding coalition should carefully select parts for AM that are simple and will help train employees on the basics of AM. Short-term wins are often categorized as improvements that can be implemented in 6 months to a year. It is important that senior leadership and the guiding coalition outline a multiyear plan with several short-term wins along the way. Product selection can be one of the most difficult tasks during AM adoption since most organizations make numerous, if not hundreds, of different products.