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.
A maritime crane developed and additively manufactured by AML3D in conjunction with Austal Australia, has received formal verification from DNV, an independent expert in risk management and quality assurance. AML3D produced an aluminum personnel recovery 3D printed maritime crane (davit), intended for naval applications, with its proprietary WAM® additive manufacturing…
Read More
Western Australia based iKad Engineering has acquired a highly specialized Arcemy module from AML3D. It is the third Arcemy WAM 3D printer that AML3D has sold this year, with an initial $300,000 purchase order received and a final sale value in excess of $500,000, subject to agreement on final specifications.…
Read More
WHAM, the Wärtsilä Hub for Additive Manufacturing, is now using 3D printing to create a critical metal component for Wärtsilä engines that has been successfully tested at full output. Work has been done in partnership with global engineering company Etteplan, and the success of the testing clearly demonstrates that 3D…
Read More
A new project just published by Emil Johansson, Research Scientist Additive Manufacturing at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, demonstrated a functional fully 3D printed boat (shown in the video above). This is the latest of a long string of projects that has shown how new large-format extrusion systems—either based on…
Read More
Participating in a JIP (Joint Industry Project) led by Wilhelmsen, Tytus3D will develop additive manufacturing of marine parts, including developing and installing selected 3D printed maritime parts onboard various vessel types such as car carriers, offshore vessels, bulk carriers and chemical tankers, working with heavyweight original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), a…
Read More
After forming a collaboration to deliver maritime spare parts using 3D printing, thyssenkrupp and Wilhelmsen have onboarded Yinson to their 3D Printing customer program. Services provided will include solving pain points such as long lead time, part obsolescence and poor part performance. Thyssenkrupp and Wilhelmsen are collaborating on leveraging on…
Read More
The Fleet Support Unit (FSU) at HMAS Coonawarra Navy Port installed a large-format SPEE3D metal 3D printer, making the Royal Australian Navy the latest Australian defence service with the capability to print its own metal parts on demand. Sustainment, or the repair, maintenance and overhaul of equipment makes up a…
Read More
ASC Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of BAE Systems Australia was contracted by the Department of Defence to design and build nine Hunter class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy. A commercial Manufacturing Evaluation Program program for additive manufacturing was thus initiated by the maritime manufacturer to test parts manufactured using AML3D’s…
Read More
Large format composite pellets 3D printing firm Thermwood recently printed several sections from a 51-foot long yacht hull mold to demonstrate how a single hull mold may be sufficient to manufacture even larger vessels, such as yachts. The printed sections of the test mold are made of carbon fiber reinforced…
Read More
thyssenkrupp is extending its gains in marine additive manufacturing by signing a letter of intent as a prelude to entering a joint venture with Wilhemsen Ships Services for custom manufacturing marine parts. The companies will collaborate on delivering maritime spare parts using 3D printing. thyssenkrupp, which already deploys additive manufacturing…
Read More
