Technological innovation and diffusion: Exploring AM adoption from a collaboration perspective
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Hwang, Gisuk
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D-printing, is a key technology to achieve innovation in Industry 4.0. This technology has not been widely adopted by industry, government, and the larger public. Understanding how to accelerate AM adoption has become a central issue. Wide adoption would benefit from a societal transformation process that requires the cross-sector collaboration of a network of players including governments, universities, private industry, and citizen groups. PURPOSE: To understand the mechanisms of collaboration and their impact on AM adoption, as well as the key factors that are contributing to exchange. METHODS: This research uses semi-structured interviews with prescient individuals in the additive manufacturing field and fields affected by AM with expertise and experience. It uses snowball sampling, where each interviewee recommends further interviewees. Then content analysis is conducted through NVIVO, a software that uses coding to see patterns in the responses. CONCLUSION: Low adoption is the result of limiting factors like expensive upfront costs and lack of training, as well as fear of poor investment and changing technologies. Establishing a collaborative mechanism is essential for achieving wider adoption of AM. However, the current collaborative mechanism is ineffective. Different sectors collaborating differently, lack of a quality control standard and a common language, and the market limits due to information ambiguity and an absence of mutual trust all prevent effective collaboration. Future AM collaboration adoption would be aided by the establishment of support networks and collaborative mechanisms that enable sharing and accessibility of knowledge- likely facilitated by government.
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Research completed in the Hugo Wall School of Public Affairs, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
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v. 18