NETWORK DESIGN FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISE

STRATEGIC LEVEL

Abstract

Additive manufacturing drives innovation in industries. The insertion of companies focused on the 3D printing services business can be a challenge when deciding the location of such a venture considering the existing supply network. A supply chain project allows to assist strategic decisions regarding the determination of the ideal point of the facilities, providing an increase in the efficiency of internal and external processes. In this sense, the objective of this study is to implement the Phase I of the framework developed by Chopra and Meindl to assist in the physical network design of a supply chain. This phase has a focus on a strategic analysis for the insertion of one or more links in a supply chain. Specifically, the aforementioned phase is implemented to outline a strategic analysis of a venture for 3D printing services in the metropolitan region of Goiânia.  To this end, bibliographic research was conducted together with empirical research, to identify the ideal strategies for the development of a physical supply chain network project for an additive manufacturing parts industry. As a result, a complete strategic planning was defined, which can be used to compose the other phases of the referred framework.