The Analysis of Lean Wastes in Construction 3D Printing: A Case Study

One way to improve the construction sector is by paving the way toward adopting innovative technologies and practices that may contribute to improving efficiency and performance in this sector. During the last few years, lean construction and 3D printing have been considered compatible with this goal. Nevertheless, their integration together is still overlooked. The current study aims to fill this gap by analyzing the non-value-adding activities (waste) in 3D printing operations. To do so, two-phase 3D printing laboratory investigations were conducted and analyzed. The results showed room for efficiency improvements in 3D printing processes when integrated with lean thinking as the proportion of waste was reduced from 24% to 13.1% following the introduction of lean to the 3D printing system. The study offers researchers and practitioners an example of lean adoption in 3D printing operations that can be even adopted in other sectors.