  In the current industrial revolution, additive manufacturing (AM) embodies a
promising technology that can enhance the effectiveness, adaptability, and
competitiveness of supply chains (SCs). Moreover, it facilitates the
development of distributed SCs, thereby enhancing product availability,
inventory levels, and lead time. However, the wide adoption of AM in industrial
SCs creates various challenges, leading to new difficulties for SC design. In
this context, this paper proposes a new design approach to AM SCs using
optimization methods. More specifically, the proposed approach, comprising the
p-median and mixed-integer linear programming models, considers the decision of
deploying productive resources (3D printers) in specific locations of generic
spare part SCs. The approach was evaluated in a real-world use case of an
elevator maintenance service provider. The obtained results demonstrated the
promising capabilities of the proposed design approach in managing the
challenges arising from the forthcoming widespread use of 3D printers in
manufacturing SCs.
