What are the Applications of 3D Printing in the Maritime Industry?

The three-dimensional sector is an advantageous service in every b3D Printing in the Maritime Industry. In fact, 3D printing in the maritime industry is gradually becoming popular. Some of you may wonder if it is possible to 3D print a ship. Well, the 4 main materials in building a ship are steel, aluminum, fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), and polyethylene.

 

These materials can be filaments for a 3D printer. Steel and aluminum materials are perfect for the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) method. From the name itself, SLM will melt the material and mold them based on the desired project.

 

On the other hand, the plastic materials are also a reliable 3D printing filament. For example, the FRP is an amazing product of years of engineering and physics experiments. This material offers dimensional stability and low moisture absorption. When 3D printed, this material is exceptionally strong. On top of that, it can resist heat up to 100°C.

 

Meanwhile, a High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is a compatible filament for Fused Deposition Modeling. This method will create a layer-by-layer model design through its nozzle. Besides that, HDPE are highly durable and can withstand tremendous amounts of pressure. This is a perfect filament for 3D printed small boats.

 

Now, how is 3D printing useful for the maritime industry? The three-dimensional process helps them to save cost and space. Maintaining a ship is not an easy task. Especially there are some parts that are not present everywhere. You need to bring it in a very specific place to install the new parts.

 

However, 3D printing can solve this challenge. All you need to do is program it and you can reproduce the needed parts anywhere. Additive manufacturing also reduces your need for any storage facilities. This facility keeps all the mold and supply you need for the maintenance of ships.

5 3D Printing Services That Are Useful in the Maritime Sector

In terms of usage, there are a lot of 3D services that are useful for the Maritime industry. Let us take a look at some of it:

3D Scanning

Scanning an actual model of a ship is possible ― thanks to 3D laser scanning. This process includes converting the actual ship into a CAD file. It is helpful especially if you need to examine the physical appearance of the ship. Roaming around the ship will take tons of time. It is easier to analyze the ship if they are on your computer.

 

There is no limit on how large you can scan the ship. You can survey any type of ship, from a sailing boat to a bulk carrier. Aside from surveying, you can also check if there is an actual difference between the project and the physical ship. It is more convenient to make suggestions or changes towards the project.

3D Designing

Designing the model of the ship is hard when you are just doing it in a blueprint. You need to manually change all dimensions. Besides that, you have to make sure that all the changes are compatible with the materials.

 

There are a lot of 3D designing software that you can use to analyze the design of the ship. Analyzing the dimension is just one of the many things they can do. For example, you can also alter the actual material you will use for the project. It will document all the changes in the project too. 

3D Printing

After scanning and designing, you will need to see the finished product. Of course, a 3D printer will reproduce the CAD model out of your computer. Additive manufacturing is much faster compared to the traditional way of reproducing a ship. 

 

Besides being faster, 3D printing is also more flexible compared to mold casting. You can use every material available for production. There are also some innovations that will reduce the cost of the construction. All these improvements will help you create a durable but less expensive ship.

3D Reverse Engineering

Basically, reverse engineering allows you to identify the function of a technology. It is helpful in recreation of some technology with lost blueprints. You have to manually do the process before the existence of 3D technology. Maritime industry can benefit a lot with this service. 

 

They can replicate some technologies from the past and improve it for better use. 3D reverse engineering also helps in innovation of any technology. If you have a CAD file of the model, it is easier to tweak design and see if it will work. 

3D Rapid Prototyping

If you want to test your model to see if it works, then you need to create a rapid prototype. 3D rapid prototyping allows you to see the actual ship before doing a mass production. This will save you from a lot of expenses if you proceed immediately with mass production. You might pull out all your ships if you found that there’s an error with the design.

 

This type of disaster happens a lot in the automotive industry. Some are so hasty in mass production that they end up pulling it out after users found out some malfunctions. This is the reason why rapid prototyping is so important in the maritime industry. Your money and others’ life is at risk if you choose to skip this service.

 

10 Examples of 3D Printing’s Usage in the Maritime Industry

Additive manufacturing offers a lot of services for the maritime industry. However, applications are not only about building a ship. With this in mind, here are some of examples of 3D printing application in Maritime Industry:

 

1. 3D Printed Submarine Prototype
2. 3D Boat Propeller
3. Spare Parts for Nautical Racing
4. Creating Map for the Arctic Seafloor
5. Sail Boat Spare Parts
6. Navy Drones
7. Yacht
8. Chain Mail fo Ship
9. Current Turbines
10. Rebuilding Coral Barriers

 

There are still a variety of things that you can do with 3D printing. Limitless possibilities are waiting once the maritime industry and 3D printing work together.

Where To Look For A 3D Printing Service Online?

Finding a 3D printing company is a difficult job right now. Most of the physical stores are not available due to the pandemic. That is why most people are looking for services online. However, the internet can be a confusing market. How do you know which company should you partner with?

 

First thing to look at is the services they offer. Some companies only have a 3D scanning service. Therefore, you need to look for another firm to do the other processes for you. It is rather inconvenient to call and deal with different companies for just one project. It would be best if the company you’re dealing with has all the services you need.

 

Fortunately, 3D2GO is available to work with you with any 3D-related project. We are the only one-stop-shop company in the Philippines. It means we can do every 3D service for you. Additionally, you can always reach us at our social media page and we will help you with your project.

 

Aside from 3D services, 3D2GO is a distributor of some premium 3D printers and scanners. If you want to do the project on your own then we will supply you with equipment. Contact us today and let’s talk about producing your own dream sailing boat.