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1. Introduction

Though the concept of 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM) has been around for decades, recent advancements in the technology have created new opportunities for businesses and consumers alike (Merrill, 2014). The expiry of key patents has strongly contributed to opening up the technology to new developments (Beaman et al., 2014; PressWire, 2014). Additionally, the industry is expected to experience a technological maturity push over the next five years as the technology becomes more widely accepted. The technology has been called revolutionary (Goulding et al., 2013), disruptive (Hyman, 2011) and even magical (Massis, 2013). Many countries are preparing to embrace this wave of technological change by heavily investing in infrastructure and AM education. For instance, Singapore has planned to invest $500 million over a five-year period through government initiatives (3ders, 2013). Additionally, the USA has initiated a $70 million “America Makes” programme (Goulding et al., 2013). The UK is investing £100 million in the aerospace industry (Russon, 2015). Moreover, New Zealand and Australia also plan to invest $12.7 and $40 million, respectively in AM uptake (Kim and Robb, 2014; Phillips, 2014). There has also been a focus on the education of students from primary to tertiary levels, particularly in China (Krassenstein, 2015), the USA (Goulding et al., 2013) and Korea (Yeol, 2015). This is not an exclusive list of global activities; however, it highlights the fact that countries are taking 3D printing as a vehicle to drive manufacturing innovation seriously. Companies are likewise investing in the technology and some early adopters are incorporating the technology into production. The most well-known example is Boeing and the airline industry that are using AM to print hundreds of parts for use in aeroplanes (Catalano, 2015). Advancements in hardware technology, particularly metal printing, are opening up the market to further players (Sung-Won, 2013; Balinski, 2015). Despite these advancements, little is known about the company adoption process of AM technology and its business impact. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to explore the adoption process of AM within the manufacturing system and its subsequent business impact. The two key research questions are as follows: RQ1.

How do companies adopt AM into their existing supply chains?

RQ2.

What is the business impact...

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