Intellectual property management challenges of additive manufacturing in replacement part supply chains

Additive manufacturing underpins Industry 4.0 and is often identified as having potential applications in replacement part supply chains; however, it also introduces complex challenges for existing governance structures, especially those linked to intellectual property security concerns. This paper quantitatively surveyed views of experts in management, engineering, and academic roles about their concerns regarding intellectual property security of additive manufacturing applications in replacement part supply chains. The findings reveal that despite the often-cited benefits there remain significant concerns about this technology's application from management and security perspectives within the Industry 4.0 era