Decisional model for additive manufacturing technologies

Currently there are many technologies which allow to create a solid object in an additive way. This “revolutionary” manufacturing approach that was introduced in the early 80s has been subjected to important improvements and several differentiations that have made the range of alternatives wider and wider. Now existent products are very numerous in order to meet needs of a potentially infinite set of users and applications. This great amount of opportunities seems to be constrained by a scarce awareness on achievable benefits related to the use of the Additive Manufacturing Technologies and an even more scarce knowledge on alternatives and their capabilities. So it has seemed necessary to create a link between the world of users and the one of manufacturers, developing a method able to understand needs and requirements of customer and individuate the best solution for defined application. For this purpose, at first we evaluated set of alternatives studying technologies and their features; secondly, we defined a tool that allows to collect user indications about element to build, its function and characteristics. Then we investigated the field of Decision Making focusing the attention on the Multi-Criteria-Decision-Making methods. Having all these inputs we are able to create a model to select the most suitable 3D printer according to requirements. Finally, analysis of some use cases gave example of applicability of this general method.