Driving Success in Additive Manufacturing for Heavy Industry: Insights from a Grey–DEMATEL Approach

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a transformative production method with significant sustainability benefits. However, its adoption in heavy industry faces challenges due to non-flexible manufacturing processes. This study identifies and prioritizes 11 critical factors influencing AM success, analysing their causal relationships using the Grey–Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory technique with expert insights. The findings highlight technological factors (CF1) and raw material availability (CF9) as the key drivers of AM adoption. Intellectual property protection (CF3) ranked lowest among causative factors but remains crucial. Among the effect group factors, economic considerations (CF11) have the highest impact. By understanding these interdependencies, AM practitioners can strategically focus on high-impact causal factors to enhance operational sustainability. This study provides a systematic framework to guide effective AM implementation in the heavy industry, ensuring long-term success and sustainability.