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NESTEC Paper: Additive Manufacturing Technology For Components Production In Nigeria; Benefits, Challenges, And Way Forward

ABSTRACT

The recent advancement of modern manufacturing technologies is gradually disrupting scale and distribution in the manufacturing and production industry. Additive manufacturing (AM), also referred to as 3D printing, is one such advanced manufacturing technology with the potentials of contributing significantly to both environmental and industrial sustainability.  As global perspectives shift towards manufacturing and production processes that help to promote environmental sustainability, 3D printing comes in handy for manufacturers as a useful tool that can be utilized in promoting sustainability both at the environmental and industrial scale. This paper discusses the general status of AM as a novel technology in manufacturing industries, and the rate of adoption of this technology in the manufacturing and production industries in Nigeria. It contends that AM is a beneficial tool that can be leveraged upon by manufacturers to promote environmental sustainability as well as to modify manufacturing processes for enhanced production of components. The paper further highlighted certain challenges that might hinder manufacturers in the country from adopting AM as a manufacturing tool, as well as a variety of measures that can be taken to overcome these challenges.

Keywords: 3D printing, Environment, Manufacturing, Sustainability, Nigeria

Author: Ukeje, Chukwudike Chukwunenye

 

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31 thoughts on “NESTEC Paper: Additive Manufacturing Technology For Components Production In Nigeria; Benefits, Challenges, And Way Forward

  1. Nigerian Engineers still have a long way to go, we are thought with outdated books, the lecturers are not ready to develop themselves and we don’t do practicals in our schools, that is why Nigeria Engineers can not face the competition in those developed countries.

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    1. Thanks for your comment, Friend. we do have a long way to go, but with the proper synery and determination, Nigerian engineers will sure get to the promised land one day

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  2. As i navigate round your work, i tend to wonder at certain abnormalities which i feel should be brought to light. When you mention the term ”Additive Manufacturing”, what do you really mean? Do explain it in lay term and also, where do you keep the term Metallurgy as related to Component Production?

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    1. The term was expressly explained as a layer by layer process of production in the introduction, maybe you need to read again. and please do keep in mind that the term “componeent production” is not necessarily peculiar to metllurgical industry. The essay discussed the AM process from a wider point of view which encompassed both metallury and other related industries that these technology can signifacntly have huge positive imapct on

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      1. Mr author, what does Metallury mean because you said it in your bit to answer the question i posted or is it a new word you have in mind to tell me.Thanks

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        1. Hello, Friend. Metallury is not a new word to me, neither is it to you. I only tired responding to your question of “where i keep metallury in relation to component production”. Like i said ealier, compnenet production is not just restricted to metallurgy, like we all know metallurgy to be the science and technology of metal production and processes, however, there are polymer and ceramics based components which are way beyond the metallurgy domain. It might interest you to know that those can also be processed using additive techniques. Thanks

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  3. I suggest that you keep trying, the greats do not start big

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    1. Yes, little strokes they say fall great oaks.
      Thanks

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  4. Wow. I believe this could haopen here in Nigeria.

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    1. Yes bro. Lets keep hoping. Hope is a good thing they say.
      Thank you

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  5. Mr. Ukeje, I’ve gone through your paper and it carry a lot of promise if implemented, but I want a clarification of some facts you mentioned.
    1. You talked of surface tessellation (STL) file, but you haven’t told us what it is and what it does in the process of the 3D printing
    2. Advocates of AM think that this development may counter globalization (wiki) as people would be manufacturing their own stuff without buying from manufacturers. Don’t you think this is taking us back to the years of trade by barter?

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    1. Thanks for your comment Mr. Ahmed. A surface tesselation file is a computer file with a.stl file extension name, this are speacial file extension that is understood by 3D printers, hence once a designer is through with designing his or her 3D object on a computer, which is usually in the form of other file extesion. for instance for corel draw you have .cdr you will need to do a simple file conversion to .stl for the 3D prineter to understand the file layout. In a very simple term, just like you cant use a PDF reader to open a word document without converting the word document to a .pdf file extension, the same way, you cant open a 3D design CAD files in a 3D printing machine without converting it to a .stl file extension. Hope I have been able to answer your question.

      And for the second question, this development is not necessarly taking us back to the years of trade by bater, bearing in mind that communities will be formed across bothers where the sharing of ideas and resources on this technology will be done, and this will foster globalization .Thanks

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  6. Additive manufacturing, as opposed to materials removal, bulk processing and other production methods, has been envisaged to lead to greater sustainable development. 3D printing, an offshoot of Additive Manufacturing have found application in virtually all the fields of human endeavor. Therefore, it is pertinent to take lay the enabling environment for the successful implementation of this technology for national development. The salient points raised by the author should be exposed to necessary institutions and policy makers to put into due consideration.

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    1. Thanks so much my amiable Engineer. I believe policy makers and concerned institutions will put them into considerations

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  7. If implemented in Nigeria it’d be great. I think you took your time to stress about the need and challenges facing AM implementation without talking about the disadvantages. I think surely it has one, and it could be one of the reasons it’s not growing in Nigeria.

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  8. Hi, friend. the disadvantages where clearlly spelt out in section 5.0 which talked about the challanges to the adoption of AM in Nigeria, where I mentioned factors such as policies on legal issues surronding the technology, limited availability of approved raw materails for the process..etc

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  9. It contends that AM is a beneficial tool that can be… Permit me to say that the word ”contend” has a negating meaning to your work and it has thrown off balance. This to me is poor usage of word. Thanks

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    1. Seriously? Mr. Clinton?

      Please, maybe we can check the semantic meaning of the word “contend”, this simply means that the paper choose to maintain and uphold the positive perspective of AM as a tool, that is to say, that the tool is beneficial as opposed to some school of thought that might delimit the benefits of this technology.

      Thank you

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  10. Mr. Ukeje additive manufacturing is actually a good thing to invest in, but sir, I don’t understand what you mean by “formative manufacturing” as a form of conventional manufacturing as used in your work?

    How long do you suggest it would take to fully implement AMT in Nigeria considering the dire state we are in currently.

    Can you give reasons why AM do not accept any powder metallic alloys?

    Lastly, well done!

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    1. Thanks for your comment, sir. by formative manufacturing i mean the traditional method of producing component, for example, by forging or injection molding. These processes forms the desired object through the application of a force on the material to form the desired shape or passing the material through a die orifice under great pressure. I hope you are able to understand it now.

      Secondly, I cannot say concisely the time it will take for AMT to be fully integrated in Nigeria as there are a lot of factors that affects the rate of technology adoption in a particular country which includes governmental policies, technology readiness and capability of the people among other, however with the right prospect, policies, and attittude it wouldn’t take long for this technlogy to be incorporated into our societies.

      Finally, there is no place in the write up that i mentioned that AMT technologies do not accept metal alloy powders, I only highlighted the limited availiability of these metal powders as in the case of steel alloys, besides components have been produced using AMT where metal powders where the only raw materials.

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  11. Nice writeup. Needed by a technology craving world.

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  12. Nice work you have here Engr. Ukeje.
    My questions are:
    1. What is the general working principle of this technology?
    2. How do you think the adoption of this technology will benefit our nation and if implemented, what are the things to watch out for that can cause us harm.
    3. What categories of 3d printers do we have and which one is applicable in the manufacturing of edibles like food.
    4. What do you think will be the source of motivation to our manufacturing industries or any individual at all to want to invest in this technology?
    5. What is the role of policy makers in the implementation of technology?
    6. I will also like you to substantially explain what you meant by environmental and industrial sustainability as poses in your work.
    6. I also like to know what factors or programs can be put in place to provide an enabling environment for this novel technology?
    7. Lastly, I want to ask what is the originality of your essay and what problems will they solve in this developing country?

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  13. Thanks, Chukwunenye, for this article.
    Kindly let us know what pace of time you envisage this revolution in the manufacturing industry in Nigeria.
    Also, what do you think could make this attractive?

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    1. In continuation…..

      What do you think could make this attractive to the teeming youths of this country?
      and what impact can it have on unemployment?

      Thanks.

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  14. Hi Ukeje, Nice Paper. AM technology is commonly viewed from the standpoint of Usage and seldom from the standpoint of actually making the equipment especially in a consumer nation such as ours. but we must be proactive in its adoption to chart the most favourable path for us as a nation. Now there are 3D printed housing. Where, in your view, can we deploy AM to solve a given pressing problem in Nigerian? (ie making unique easy to deploy AM equipment for the problem area you identify).

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  15. Hi brother, I went through your work, and I commend your efforts.
    Need not drop my question, but as an add up to your work, do well to spell out clearly the enabling ground for which this work is to have its implementation upon, please.
    Thanks

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