Maritime Industry
The maritime industry, which comprises shipping companies, ships manufacturing, and port authorities, has slowly begun to undergo a digital transformation. Automation is gaining increasing interest across the maritime industry while IMO puts the issue of autonomous ships high on the agenda, stepping up efforts toward their adoption. Also, advanced software and simulation capabilities are emerging and maritime connectivity improved. Not until very recently, however, did the digital transformation in the maritime industry apply to manufacturing – and specifically to additive manufacturing processes.
There are multiple reasons why AM was slower to enter maritime industry manufacturing processes and they depend largely on the type of ships. For example, in the yachting industry, AM already proves ideal for a large number of parts – even small parts – due to the very small zie of batches required. However, operators in this industry are traditionally very slow to adapt to change.
There are of course exceptions, especially in what we consider marine (rather than maritime) applications. This segment, which includes racing boats (especially in the America’s Cup, where technological advancements and weight containment are major issues), as well as luxury yachts. This segment has already begun opening up to these technologies for production of small part batches or custom components. More recently, new composite (CFR or GFR) materials have enabled additive manufacturing of very large parts using materials that provide sufficient chemical and environmental resistance to be used in the tough marine environment. In one case, even an entire submarine hull was 3D printed in a joint project involving ORNL and the US Navy.
In the transportation industry, thus in seaport and large ships applications, the biggest limit was part size. As new DED, WAAM and blown powder processes have enabled faster additive production of much larger parts, a slew of new applications have emerged to enable direct and cost-effective production of marine parts such as propellers, submarine ballasts and several other parts.
Finally, 3D printing, even with concrete based materials, has proven useful for building underwater structures and even help rebuild coral barriers. These applications fit more within the realm of construction 3D printing, however they have already shown enormous potential. Below you can find a selection of the most relevant news and application cases for AM in the maritime indutry.
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The University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) and Navatek LLC, a commercial and DoD research company specializing in ship hull forms and naval structures, have been granted a $5 million contract by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The contract and funding will enable the partners to…
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Global maritime company Wilhelmsen has demonstrated its commitment to the adoption of additive manufacturing over the past several months. Last December, for instance, the company launched an early adopter program (EAP) for 3D printing spare parts for the maritime industry. Then, in February, it completed the first commercial delivery of…
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AML3D Limited delivered its first Arcemy 3D printing module to ST Engineering in Singapore (ST) under a ‘rent to buy’ agreement. The Arcemy3D printing module supplied to ST is designed and built to minimize commissioning time before being able to produce commercially (this process is expected to be complete during…
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AML3D, an Australia-based developer of large-format metal additive manufacturing systems, is now listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and has successfully raised AUD$9 million through an Initial Public Offering (IPO). AML3D is known for its patented Wire Additive Manufacturing (WAM) process, which has received certification from Lloyd’s Register. It’s been…
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A collaboration between engineering company Renishaw, Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) and Canadian industrial design firm Biome Renewables has resulted in the production of 80% more cost-effective 3D printed ocean turbine components. Additive manufacturing also enabled the partners to speed up the parts’ development times to just two months. Based…
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Maritime assets are capital intensive, and downtime is costly. Replacement of marine spare parts involves many actors in the supply chain and can be costly in terms of inventory, logistics, and cost of spare parts (especially for obsolete parts). For these reasons, three key Singaporean organizations, such as the local…
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thyssenkrupp Marine Systems has announced plans to ramp up its use of 3D printing for the production of submarine components. At this stage, the path to series production for submarine parts is largely laid: quality and safety approvals have been granted and the required technology and expertise are ready, thanks…
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Just a couple of months after launching its Early Adopter Program for 3D printing spare parts for the maritime industry, global maritime company Wilhelmsen has announced the first successful commercial delivery of 3D printed scupper plugs to a Berge Bulk vessel. The shipment marks a significant step towards normalizing the…
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A pair of two-year-long Joint Innovation Projects (JIPs) aimed at the qualification of additive manufacturing in the Oil & Gas and Maritime industries, have come to a close. The projects, which brought on 20 partners from across the industries, concluded with a celebration in Norway organized by DNV GL and…
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Sir Ben Ainslie and INEOS TEAM UK are implementing metal AM technology from Renishaw in their bid to bring the America’s Cup home to Britain (where the competition originated). As the team’s official precision measurement and additive manufacturing (AM) partner, Renishaw is contributing its engineering expertise to aid and fast track…
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