biostudies-literatureUnknown57(16)Jung SManufacturing Futures Institute, Carnegie Mellon UniversityPennsylvania Department of Community and Economic DevelopmentThe manufacturing sector accounts for a large percentage of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and there is growing interest in the potential of additive manufacturing (AM) to reduce the sector's environmental impacts. Across multiple industries, AM has been used to reduce material use in final parts by 35-80%, and recent publications have predicted that AM will enable the fabrication of customized products locally and on-demand, reducing shipping and material waste. In many contexts, however, AM is not a viable alternative to traditional manufacturing methods due to its high production costs. And in high-volume mass production, AM can lead to increased energy use and material waste, worsening environmental impacts compared to traditional production methods. Whether AM is an eEnvironmental science & technology6373-6386https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10134501biostudies-literatureIs Additive Manufacturing an Environmentally and Economically Preferred Alternative for Mass Production?PMC10134501Whitefoot KSNie ZJung SKara LBSimpson TWfalseIs Additive Manufacturing an Environmentally and Economically Preferred Alternative for Mass Production?The manufacturing sector accounts for a large percentage of global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and there is growing interest in the potential of additive manufacturing (AM) to reduce the sector's environmental impacts. Across multiple industries, AM has been used to reduce material use in final parts by 35-80%, and recent publications have predicted that AM will enable the fabrication of customized products locally and on-demand, reducing shipping and material waste. In many contexts, however, AM is not a viable alternative to traditional manufacturing methods due to its high production costs. And in high-volume mass production, AM can lead to increased energy use and material waste, worsening environmental impacts compared to traditional production methods. Whether AM is an e2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Apr2025-04-04T11:05:31.588Z2025-04-04T11:05:31.588ZS-EPMC101345013706696910.1021/acs.est.2c04927