An iterative investigation of needs and barriers in deciding when to design for additive manufacturing

Industrial adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) remains limited, partly due to challenges in determining when AM is more suitable than conventional processes. Since this decision must be made early to enable effective design for AM, understanding the factors that shape such assessments is essential. This study used iterative need analysis and prototype development loops to investigate these factors. The findings identify key needs and barriers influencing early decisions on when to design for AM and show that effective support requires a deep understanding of the underlying problem.