This study addresses the paradoxical tensions that arise during additive manufacturing (AM) implementation for circular economy goals in the healthcare sector. Using the lens of paradox theory, this study identifies four competing priorities that stakeholders may encounter while adopting AM. Focus group discussions among 12 industry experts from the healthcare supply chain were conducted to verify the paradoxes. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with 10 industry experts to derive the solutions to manage these tensions from an Industry 5.0 perspective to achieve the full benefits of AM. This study expands paradox theory into the AM literature and provides a novel ‘both/and’ perspective (i.e. a pluralistic rather than a dualistic perspective) to look at emerging tensions encountered while implementing AM in the healthcare sector. This perspective will help decision-makers realise that these tensions can be managed over time to turn them into creative, rather than destructive, forces.

本研究解决了医疗保健行业循环经济目标实施增材制造 (AM) 过程中出现的矛盾紧张局势。利用悖论理论的视角，本研究确定了利益相关者在采用增材制造时可能遇到的四个相互竞争的优先事项。来自医疗保健供应链的 12 名行业专家进行了焦点小组讨论，以验证这些悖论。随后，我们对 10 名行业专家进行了半结构化访谈，从工业 5.0 的角度得出解决方案来管理这些紧张局势，以实现增材制造的全部优势。这项研究将悖论理论扩展到增材制造文献中，并提供了一种新颖的“两者/和”视角（即多元化而非二元视角）来审视在医疗保健领域实施增材制造时遇到的新的紧张局势。这种观点将帮助决策者认识到，随着时间的推移，这些紧张局势可以得到控制，将其转化为创造性而非破坏性的力量。