An introduction of rapid manufacturing technology implementation in Malaysian automotive industry

Abstract

Rapid Manufacturing (RM) is the direct production of finished goods using additive fabrication techniques. It includes the making of tooling for production to afford the specialized and optimized machinery that will be necessary in the short to medium term. However, in Malaysian automotive industry, the efforts to utilize RM concept and technology have several problems. The existing problems that have discourage the enhancement of process development of automotive industry. In providing the solution, it is believe that by adopting RM concept, there is potential to speed up the process development of automotive parts and move towards mass customization and agility in manufacturing. These issues have been discovered by discussion with Malaysian automotive manufacturer such as PROTON and PERODUA. They support the implementation of RM technology in their organization due to the advantages. This research intends to share the information on the influence and impact of RM on Malaysian automotive manufacture and to provide the prediction on the future of the technology and industry in Malaysia.