CO2 emissions

Resilience and Sustainability in the Supply Chain

Resilience and Sustainability in the Supply Chain

How SMEs can prepare for the changes to come
Jonas Fuchs, Lasse Bo Ladewig, Wolfgang Kersten ORCID Icon
More than 99% of German companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which therefore represent an important part of industrial supply chains. New regulations are increasing the pressure on companies to create transparency along the supply chain so that the role of SMEs is also coming into focus. However, they are often confronted with limited financial and human resources. Based on a quantitative survey and a literature review, this article deals with the question of what SME-friendly approaches could look like.
Industry 4.0 Science | Volume 40 | 2024 | Edition 1 | Pages 57-62
Improving Sustainability of Footwear Production through 3D Printing of Shoes

Improving Sustainability of Footwear Production through 3D Printing of Shoes
The production of apparel and footwear has a significant impact on the environment. In 2016, these two product categories accounted for about 8 % of global climate emissions. To reach global emission goals, different production strategies are required. As an additive manufacturing process, 3D printing offers the possibility of mass customisation by combining the cost advantages of mass production and the individualisation of custom-made products. We present an approach to using FFF 3D printers to produce complete shoes, eliminating the need for auxiliary materials and many manufacturing steps. Here, mass customisation is done by adapting digital shoe models to customers' foot scans, creating individualised one-off pieces. Considering only the production process, emissions from a pair of 3D printed shoes are slightly higher than conventionally manufactured shoes. Beyond the environmental aspects, 3D printed shoes have advantages in the aspects of social and economic sustainability. The ...
Industry 4.0 Science | 2022 | | DOI 10.30844/WGAB_2022_1