Salt water, roaring waves, constantly changing weather conditions: the harsh environment at sea has provided inspiration for numerous novels, sea songs and historical accounts. It is obvious that these conditions have also left their mark in the marine industry and have posed, and continue to pose, numerous challenges in the sector. In the current context, these primarily center on the management of unstable supply chains, and the production of large-format parts made from resistant materials.
Additive manufacturing in general provides a solution to unstable supply chains, at least, by enabling on-site and on-demand production. A wide range of 3D printing technologies is already available, and more and more 3D printing manufacturers are positioning themselves in the maritime market. One company that has been in the sector for some time is SPEE3D. The Australian company has a range of materials for maritime applications and offers an extremely fast and efficient process for making critical replacement metal parts with its cold spray additive technology.
SPEE3D Offers On-Board AM Solutions
The Expeditionary Manufacturing Unit (EMU) is one of SPEE3D’s flagship products, as it can be used in almost any location, for example in forward bases, on docks or even onboard vessels. The EMU consists of the patented XSPEE3D 3D metal printer and the SPEE3Dcell post-processing unit, with two furnaces, a CNC machine and testing equipment. The open system makes it possible to process a wide range of materials and quickly produce parts for maintenance and repair.
The machine works with the Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing (CSAM) technology developed by SPEE3D. In this process, metal powder is deposited at three times the speed of sound to form dense parts with low porosity. The speed of 100g/min is remarkable. This makes CSAM a clear contrast to casting, as it is considerably faster, eliminating long lead times or inventory costs associated with spare parts with much simpler logistics!
SPEE3D Validates Two New NAB Material Systems for Additive Manufacturing
Although metals have much better material properties for shipbuilding than polymers, for example, they are not immune to corrosion and wear. However, this is essential in the maritime sector, particularly due to harsh conditions. Nickel Aluminium Bronze (NAB) is anti-fouling, antimicrobial and strong. For this reason, it is valued in the maritime sector and is often used for cast parts.
To avoid the long lead times and complex logistics of casting, SPEE3D has developed a Nickel Aluminum Bronze alloy for additive manufacturing. Through extensive testing and subsequent trials, SPEE3D has now validated two NAB powders that can be processed using CSAM technology, rounding off SPEE3D’s additive solution offering to the maritime sector.
The SPEE3D NAB powder is characterized by its corrosion resistance, lubricity and resistance to cavitation damage and stress cracking. In addition, the new NAB material, which was developed in collaboration with the US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), is significantly tougher than SPEE3D’s traditional aluminum bronze material. The NAB alloy meets NAVSEA’s stringent C958 specifications and is therefore available to them in an exclusive material for the creation of safety-critical parts for surface and underwater hulls. It ensures flawless parts with a high degree of hardness.
SPEE3D has also launched a commercial version of the material, Expeditionary NAB. This corresponds to 97% of the NAVSEA material but does not require hot isostatic pressing. A simplified heat treatment process is sufficient for processing Expeditionary NAB, making it well suited for the on-board production of ship parts with the Expeditionary Manufacturing Unit. This NAB variant also achieves exceptionally high strength (58 ksi, 390 MPa UTS), and offers an ideal solution for transition parts.
Both NAB grades can be processed using CSAM technology. By spraying the metal particles onto the substrate using compressed air and supersonic speed, there are no extreme temperature fluctuations and consequently there is less frequent residual stress, cracking and deformation of the manufactured components. The examples implemented to date testify to the quality of the material and the promising combination of NAB and CSAM for the maritime sector.
SPEE3D has produced seaworthy parts from it, for example a propeller strut, a bushing and a camshaft lock. The material is suitable for producing a wide range of ship components, including rudders, valves, propellers, pipe fittings and engine infrastructure.
In the long term, SPEE3D is also aiming to use NAB in other sectors, and the company sees potential in the mining, defense and oil & gas industries. Nevertheless, these innovations demonstrate SPEE3D’s ability to meet the high demands of the maritime sector and to advance additive manufacturing in this area. Find out more about SPEE3D’s printing solutions and NAB materials HERE or meet the company directly at Formnext 2024 in Frankfurt at booth C.01, Hall 12.0
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*All Photo Credits: SPEE3D