Keppel Offshore & Marine has been granted Lloyd’s Register (LR) Certification for its Laser Aided Additive Manufacturing (LAAM) system. It will enable it to make offshore level steel. This approval adheres to the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) A131 terms following. This is following a review and triumphant mechanical experiment.
Keppel O&M received the award in collaboration with A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore).
The Executive Director at Keppel Marine & Deepwater Technology, Aziz Merchant said the following: “This certification is the first step for us to produce high-value components essential to the offshore and marine structures. Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing as it is more commonly known will speed up production times which in turn can help bring projects to completion much quicker.”
He also said that they are pleased to partner with SIMTech and NTU since 2016 on advancing AM technology. The LR certification demonstrates that the parts they make by use of this technique are secure. It shows they are also fit for use. Merchant said that this is something that is crucial to their business.
Apart from lowering the project lead period, AM may also ease resource constraints. It may also lessen the carbon footprint linked to production and offer lasting cost savings.
NTU experts carried precise experiments on more than 50 samples of 3D-printed offshore level steel. They examined them on their element yield, elongation, tensile, toughness and fatigue features. Copulated with an enhanced additive manufacturing procedure, the element features of the steel were seen to have great measures. The standards exceeded ASTM needs.
Senior Consultant in LR’s Singapore Advisory Centre, Hussain Quraishi, stated: “It’s great to see how AM can bring such positive benefits, not only to the businesses we’re working with, but to their customers too. AM is a highly innovative technique that more and more companies are turning to in their drive to offer high-quality components for use in projects across a wide range of industries.”
LR offers a 3D printed piece approval service for any industry. This includes marine class-associated pieces, oil and gas downstream and upstream. Part approval includes evaluating every aspect of a firm’s manufacturing procedure. This includes facility, design, and post-processing and experimenting.
