Additive technology is increasingly being utilized in various industrial sectors, including healthcare, automotive, and aerospace. In this thesis, we model a hypothetical additive manufacturing plant and determine the optimal number of material (machines) and human resources needed to ensure its efficient operation. First, we introduce the field of additive manufacturing, explain the motivation behind our work, and outline our methodology.
We then detail the stages of the production process in a facility that employs this technology and determine the execution times for each stage. Using these precisely defined capabilities and operational requirements, we constructed a basic model. After analyzing this model and identifying its shortcomings, we developed two additional models to address these issues. The second model tackles the problem of the large number of 3D printers required, while the third model optimizes the number of workers necessary for the facility's normal operation.
Through the analysis and optimization of all three models, we established the necessary human and material resources to set up a medium-sized facility based on 3D printing technology.
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