The Place of 3D Printing in the Manufacturing and Operational Process Based on the Industry 4.0 Structure

The article presents the place of 3D printing in the manufacturing and operational process. It analyzes selected incremental technologies in the product life cycle. It describes selected processes for testing the properties of materials used in 3D printing, including accelerated aging tests and simulation of operating conditions. Areas of application of 3D printing were defined, starting from design and prototype development through manufacturing of technological tools and finally finished products. Design criteria of additivelymanufactured elements in relation to the exploitation process are discussed. A methodology for the development of 3D-CAD models of manufactured elements, software processing of data and data storage format for manufacturing products and spare parts is presented. The assumptions of repair procedures based on the production of spare parts by means of 3D printing in relation to data circulation compatible with the idea of Industry 4.0 structure have been adopted.