Printing spare parts through additive manufacturing: legal and digital business challenges
Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management
ISSN: 1741-038X
Article publication date: 10 July 2018
Issue publication date: 13 July 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the technology, business and intellectual property issues surrounding the production of spare parts through additive manufacturing (AM) from a digital source. It aims to identify challenges to the growth of the AM spares market and propose suitable solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper begins with a systematic literature review and theoretical analysis. This is followed by case study research through semi-structured interviews, forming the basis of a triangulated, cross-case analysis of empirical data.
Findings
The paper identifies several obstacles to the development of the AM-produced digital spares market. The manufacturing industry will soon be forced to re-think AM as a real manufacturing alternative. Short-term, AM technology has implications for the production of components for legacy systems for which tooling facilities no longer exist. Long-term, AM will be used to produce a wide range of components especially when product and/or service functionality can be increased. To enable companies to navigate current uncertainties in the patent framework (especially the “repair vs make” doctrine), new intellectual property rights strategies could be developed around patenting both complex devices and their individual components, and seeking patent protection for CAD files. Further harmonization of the EU legal framework, the interpretation of claims and the scope of protection offered in the context of spare parts, will also be important.
Originality/value
This study pinpoints key issues that need to be addressed within the European AM business environment and the patent system and proposes recommendations for business and legal frameworks to promote the growth of a stable European digital spare parts market.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors have declared that this research does not present any potential conflict of interest. The authors would like to thank especially all the organizations that participated in the empirical study providing invaluable insights, as well as feedback to previous drafts.
Citation
Ballardini, R.M., Flores Ituarte, I. and Pei, E. (2018), "Printing spare parts through additive manufacturing: legal and digital business challenges", Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, Vol. 29 No. 6, pp. 958-982. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMTM-12-2017-0270
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited