Sustainability Through Additive Manufacturing Technology: A Multi‐Dimensional Outcome Analysis

Although additive manufacturing (AM) shows potential for sustainability, including through waste reduction and decentralized production, nevertheless the evidence remains fragmented and context‐dependent. This systematic review of the literature aims to consolidate the knowledge about the sustainability implications in various contexts, identifying key drivers, barriers, and enablers to guide organizational adoption decisions. In this study, 104 peer‐reviewed articles from the SCOPUS database were selected with a rigorous selection criterion and included in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. The SCM‐TBFO framework was used in the analysis, and it examined schools of thought, context, methods, triggers, barriers, facilitators, and outcomes. AM adoption decision‐making mechanisms, which are mutually reinforcing and balancing, were highlighted by a directed acyclic graph (DAG). Sixteen theoretical frameworks, including Transaction Cost Economics (TCE), Resource‐Based View (RBV), Stakeholder Theory, and Innovation Theory, were emphasized in the investigation. Eight principal barriers were identified: technological, economic, operational, socio‐cultural, environmental, material resources, and strategic. Conversely, five facilitators that encourage adoption were identified: technology improvements, circular economy practices, customization, teamwork, and economic rewards. A four‐label decision framework has been developed that signifies equilibrium in the dynamics of AM eco‐systems. This evaluation surpasses singular methodologies used in prior literature and incorporates the distinctive multidimensional analysis of the SCM‐TBFO architecture. The DAG diagram offers practitioners and academics systematic insights into strategic AM implementation and highlights critical gaps for additional empirical investigation.