This paper provides an overview on the main additive manufacturing/3D printing technologies suitable for many satellite applications and, in particular, radio-frequency components. In fact, nowadays they have become capable of producing complex net-shaped or nearly net-shaped parts in materials that can be directly used as functional parts, including polymers, metals, ceramics, and composites. These technologies represent the solution for low-volume, high-value, and highly complex parts and products.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight how rapid manufacturing (RM) of plastic parts combined with part redesign could have positive repercussion on cost saving. Design/methodology/approach – Comparison between two different technologies for plastic part production, the traditional injection molding (IM) and the emergent RM, is done with consideration of both the geometric possibilities of RM and the economic aspect. From an extended literature review, the redesign guidelines and the cost model are identified and then applied to a component selected for its shape complexity. It is an assembly that was redesigned for RM purpose, in order to take advantage of additive manufacturing potentialities. The geometric and economic differences between IM and RM are discussed. Findings – This research evidences that currently in Western Europe RM combined with redesign can be economically convenient and competitive to IM for medium volume production of plastic parts. Consequently, this is a great opportunity to keep the production in Europe instead of moving it overseas. Research limitations/implications – As regards manufacturing costs, results presented in this study are mainly based on cost estimation provided by Italian companies and it is assumed that the plant is located in Western Europe. Practical implications – The research assesses the feasibility of making functional and operational plastic parts without the use of traditional manufacturing processes by redesign for RM. Originality/value – Two different kinds of research papers comparing RM and IM exist in literature: on the one hand, the two techniques are evaluated from the economical point of view, on the other, the part redesign is analyzed. No paper considers the interrelation between redesign and cost estimation. In this work, these aspects are combined to point out that a remarkable cost reduction is obtained when the component shape is modified to exploit RM advantages.

Atomic Diffusion Additive Manufacturing (ADAM) is a recent layer-wise process patented by Markforged for metals based on material extrusion. ADAM can be classified as an indirect additive manufacturing process in which a filament of metal powder encased in a plastic binder is used. After the fabrication of a green part, the plastic binder is removed by the post-treatments of washing and sintering (frittage). The aim of this work is to provide a preliminary characterisation of the ADAM process using Markforged Metal X, the unique system currently available on the market. Particularly, the density of printed 17-4 PH material is investigated, varying the layer thickness and the sample size. The dimensional accuracy of the ADAM process is evaluated using the ISO IT grades of a reference artefact. Due to the deposition strategy, the final density of the material results in being strongly dependent on the layer thickness and the size of the sample. The density of the material is low if compared to the material processed by powder bed AM processes. The superficial roughness is strongly dependent upon the layer thickness, but higher than that of other metal additive manufacturing processes because of the use of raw material in the filament form. The accuracy of the process achieves the IT13 grade that is comparable to that of traditional processes for the production of semi-finished metal parts.

The emerging of the fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0 (I4.0), from the advancement in several technologies is viewed not only to promote economic growth, but also to enable a greener future. The 2030 Agenda of the United Nations for sustainable development sets out clear goals for the industry to foster the economy, while preserving social well-being and ecological validity. However, the influence of I4.0 technologies on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) has not been conclusively or systematically investigated. By understanding the link between the I4.0 technologies and the SDGs, researchers can better support policymakers to consider the technological advancement in updating and harmonizing policies and strategies in different sectors (i.e., education, industry, and governmental) with the SDGs. To address this gap, academic experts in this paper have investigated the influence of I4.0 technologies on the sustainability targets identified by the UN. Key I4.0 element technologies have been classified to enable a quantitative mapping with the 17 SDGs. The results indicate that the majority of the I4.0 technologies can contribute positively to achieving the UN agenda. It was also found that the effects of the technologies on individual goals varies between direct and strong, and indirect and weak influences. The main insights and lessons learned from the mapping are provided to support future policy.