Analysis of barriers of sustainable 4D printing using Grey TOPSIS approach

The adoption of sustainable 4D printing in automotive component manufacturing industry helps to produce environmentally conscious critical components. This article introduces the study in which 18 sustainable 4D printing barriers were identified through expert consultation and literature review. The identified barriers were analysed against six criteria, namely, Build Time (C1), Accuracy (C2), Customization (C3), Carbon Footprint (C4), Material Utilization (C5) and Complexity (C6) using Grey Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (G-TOPSIS) approach. Experts’ inputs were gathered to derive the relative importance of each barrier against each criterion in the form of Grey value. Using G-TOPSIS approach, the priority order of barriers is achieved. Based on the findings, significant barriers are found to be ‘Improper disposal strategy (B18)’, ‘Lack of interaction between smart materials and 3D printing technology (B8)’ and ‘Lack of Smart materials compatible with AM technologies (B10)’. The study facilitated industry practitioners to meticulously examine sustainable 4D printing barriers for improving production efficiency.