Within the European project ADDCIRCLES, in which TECOS Slovenian Tool and Die Development Centre is a project partner, an Additive Manufacturing (AM) guide has been developed that systematically presents the advantages of AM in the context of the ecodesign and circular economy. It provides practical guidelines for sustainable product planning, development, and manufacturing.
The main purpose of the guide is to highlight the key role of additive manufacturing in the transition to a circular economy and to offer concrete tools and guidance on how AM can be effectively used to reduce environmental impact, optimize resource use, and support sustainable product development. The guide is not intended solely for theoretical understanding, but primarily for practical application, as its aim is to help companies, developers, designers, and researchers make informed decisions when selecting technologies, materials, and design approaches.
Key content highlights of the guide
The guide addresses the following topics:
- the role of AM in the transition to a circular economy,
- ecodesign across the entire product life cycle,
- practical steps for integrating life cycle thinking into the AM process,
- optimization of AM technologies, materials, and processes,
- common pitfalls and misconceptions that may reduce sustainability impacts,
- examples of good practice demonstrating the successful application of AM and ecodesign in industry.
Special emphasis is placed on linking AM with ecodesign principles, understanding environmental impacts throughout the entire product life cycle, and using sustainable and circular material flows.
As a project partner, TECOS contributed its expertise and experience in industrial development, materials, and AM to the conceptual development of the guide. The ADDCIRCLES project and the resulting guide confirm TECOS’s role as one of the key actors in transferring advanced and sustainable manufacturing technologies into industrial practice.
The guide represents an important reference for all those who wish to AM responsibly, efficiently, and in line with sustainable development goals. It is the result of collaboration between project partners from Slovenia and Austria and is based on knowledge, data, and experience gathered within the ADDCIRCLES project, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the Interreg Slovenia–Austria programme.
