Improvements in operational readiness by distributing manufacturing capability in the supply chain through additive manufacturing

Abstract

This report assesses the effects that additive manufacturing has on unit operational readiness (OR) rates when used as part of a distributed manufacturing system. It provides an overview of the relevant Army supply and maintenance policies that affect the OR rate along with centralized and distributed manufacturing concepts. Additionally, the report compares and contrasts traditional and advanced manufacturing methods with additive manufacturing. This work decomposes the additive manufacturing processes into 11 primary functions. The time requirements for five of these functions are experimentally evaluated, providing the portion of time that each function contributes to the total additive manufacturing process. The results indicate that the printing time comprises more than 95 percent of the total additive manufacturing time, suggesting that estimated print time is an acceptable surrogate for total manufacturing time.