How 3D printing enables sustainable supply chain business processes: case studies of manufacturing firms

Purpose The emergence of 3D printing (3DP) technology offers transformative potential for advancing economic, environmental and social sustainability in supply chain management. While prior studies have examined 3DP's sustainable benefits, critical gaps remain in systematically integrating sustainability into manufacturing processes and formulating actionable strategies. Addressing this gap, this study explores how 3DP-enabled production contributes to sustainable supply chain business processes and aligns with manufacturing strategies through a supply chain sustainability lens. Design/methodology/approach Three cases from Chinese manufacturing industry are selected to analyze the impact of 3DP on supply chain business process and explore the manufacturing strategy with thematic analysis. Findings We identify four key 3DP-impacted supply chain business process: lean manufacturing (LM), green manufacturing (GM), customization manufacturing (CM) and partnership relationship management (PM). The research implies that 3DP-enabled integrated manufacturing processes – incorporating LM, GM and CM – enhance sustainability performance across economic, environmental and social dimensions, while PM moderates these effects. To operationalize 3DP's sustainability potential, we propose three strategic architectures: 3DP-Engineer-to-Order (ETO), 3DP-Hybrid Make-to-Order (MTO) and 3DP-Circular MTO. Originality/value The paper provides a comprehensive framework that outlines the interaction relationships between 3DP and sustainable manufacturing through business process design. This framework helps to clarify which business processes and how they can be optimized to leverage the unique advantages of 3DP in sustainability. By focusing on business process, the study enhances understanding of how 3DP can be integrated into existing manufacturing systems to achieve sustainable outcomes.