Printing Technology News

Bureau Veritas (BV) said it has certified a new-generation 3D printed propeller manufactured by Naval Group for a Tripartite-class minehunter vessel.“This technology is promising and opens the room for further, more complex, innovations in additive manufacturing,” Laurent Leblanc, Senior Vice President Technical & Operations at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore.With its 2.5-meter span supported by five 200-kg blades, the propeller is said to be the largest metal 3D-printed propeller ever manufactured.

Online e-procurement portal for marine spares and equipment ShipParts.com is taking part in a project to investigate how additive manufacturing, more commonly known as 3D printing, could revolutionize the way in which spare parts are procured and delivered.ShipParts.com has been operating for some five years, and has built up a client base of more than 1,800+ buyers and around 17,000+ sellers actively trading on the platform. Sellers are from all corners of the globe, including European…

3D printing technology developed in Darwin will be deployed by the Royal Australian Navy in a world-first trial that will streamline the maintenance of patrol vessels.The Morrison Government will invest $1.5 million in the two-year Supersonic Deposition 3D printer pilot, which will lead to a significant increase of parts availability compared to what the regular supply chain can provide.Minister for Defense Industry, the Hon Melissa Price MP, congratulated the Charles Darwin University’s Advanced Manufacturing Alliance, along with industry partner SPEE3D, for producing the cutting edge and uniquely Australian capability.“This high-tech machinery enables metal components to be produced quickly and efficiently…

Sembcorp Marine earns 3D printing certifications for parts used in construction and repairsThese certifications will help the Group unlock significant efficiencies and reduce supply chain risksSingapore-based Sembcorp Marine has received certifications qualifying its 3D printing procedures and specifications for components used in its construction and repair projects, paving the way for new efficiencies and reduced supply chain risk, the company said.Awarded by quality assurance and risk management company DNV GL…

Analysts forecast the global shipbuilding market to grow at a CAGR of over 2% during the 2019-2023 period.According to Technavio analysts, one of the key factors contributing to the growth of the global shipbuilding market is the increasing seaborne trading."In the last couple of decades, the shipping industry has recorded an increase in the total trade volume. Rapid industrialization and the liberalization of economies are the prominent factors propelling trade volumes between two countries," said the market research report.The increasing economic activities, such as foreign direct investments have heightened consumer purchasing power.

Wilhelmsen has partnered with Ivaldi Group to deploy an additive manufacturing facility in the Wilhelmsen Ships Service’ facilities in Singapore. The local micro factory capable of on-demand production provides 3D printed parts to select partners as part of their early adopters program in a port that sees more than 100 vessel visits a day.“Looking at the costs associated with our marine products sales, the supply chain costs are frequently at least as large as the Cost of Goods Sold.” says Kjell Andre Engen, Executive Vice President of Marine Products, Wilhelmsen Ships Service, “Additive manufacturing with a technology partner like Ivaldi…

From propellers and components to entire ships, there is hardly anything additive manufacturing will not be able to make one day. 3D printing technology is still in its infancy, but experts agree that it will forever change the global flow of products; at the same time, however, it may open up entirely new perspectives for shipping. For example, by creating the ability to provide spare parts just in time at any place in the world. The 3D printing market harbors enormous potential…

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced it has partnered with a company specializing in 3D printing technologies in a move that aims to transform naval shipbuilding in the U.S.Huntington Ingalls’ Newport News Shipbuilding division will work with 3D Systems to develop additive manufacturing technologies expected to accelerate the adoption of metal 3D printing for building components of U.S. warships.The joint effort, which comes amid a significant technological transformation underway at Newport News…

For the average person, tracking down a spare part is often merely an annoyance. But for the crew of a Coast Guard cutter, the availability of spare parts can be important to mission completion or greatly affect their work environment. The Coast Guard Research and Development Center in New London, Conn., is currently studying how the use of 3-D printing technology might improve mission readiness through logistical support. Now in the evaluation phase, 3-D printers are available…

CFD simulations of offshore oil and gas platforms are used to predict the maximum wind loads acting on the structure of the platform topsides (the upper half of the platform, above sea level and outside the splash zone, including the oil production plant, the accommodation block and any drilling equipment). The wind loads are used as waves and current loads to design the mooring of the structure, and can be significant in specific ocean areas. Because platform topside geometries were traditionally considered too complex to mesh in high detail…

AIDAluna left the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg yesterday after extensive maintenance work was carried out from April 26 to May 5, 2014. Work on the cruise ship included among others the installation of the first elements of a comprehensive filter system with which AIDA Cruises is gradually fitting out its fleet. The system for the treatment of exhaust gas emissions, which was developed within the Carnival Group, uses a new technology built in a compact form making it possible to technically integrate all of the main cleaning stages for the first time.

Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Carderock complete a fabricated model of the hospital ship 'USNS Comfort'. The state-of-the-art 3-D printer, which is one of four in the United States, provides Carderock with the capability to deliver large, complex ship models. Additionally, the ship models require less assembly time and can be fabricated unattended, 24 hours a day. "3D printing technology is currently being used in industry to produce parts, structures and models for various applications," said NSWC Carderock engineer Francisco "Paco" Rodriguez.