Additive manufacturing value chain adoption

Purpose Adopting additive manufacturing (AM) on a large-scale requires an adoption in company value chains. This may happen through product innovation and require interorganizational cooperation, but the value-adding potential of cooperation application recognition is still poorly understood. study aims to investigate progress AM projects featuring chain. Design/methodology/approach A multiple-case was implemented successful metallic examples increase understanding Primary data were collected interviews documents three projects, analyzed qualitatively. Findings All showed evidence chain adoption. Identifying right added within it crucial starting points for finding new Interorganizational collaboration facilitated both value-based designs experimentation with supply Thereby, focal did not need invest machines. The key activities actors are mapped process Research limitations/implications cases set business-to-business context, which narrows transferability results. As theoretical contribution, this paper introduces concept identified, required collaborative reported. practical implication, reveals how companies can learn adopt chains without investing They instead leverage relationships other that have knowledge infrastructure. Originality/value as novel, highly interactive phase industry-wide AM. characterized multi-company settings, complements single-company view dominant previous research. Theory elaboration offered merging technology external integration from information processing view, emphasizing necessity Companies benefit each during adoption, identifying value-creating opportunities applications