Global research organisation TWI and Lloyd’s Register Energy are presenting a joint industry project in the UK focused on the certification of laser powder additive manufactured components for industrial adoption in the energy and offshore sectors.
While additive manufacturing (AM) is widely adopted by the aerospace industry, its application in the energy, offshore and marine sectors is still at a relatively nascent stage. This project, to be operated jointly by TWI and Lloyd’s Register Energy, plans to bring together research and development efforts with real world additive manufacturing practices to create new industry product certification guidelines.
TWI and Lloyd’s Register Energy are members of an ISO working group currently developing standards for additive manufacture but these standards are still several years away from the adoption stage, and there is no provision in existing standards for the certification of parts produced using this technology. The joint industry project from TWI and Lloyd’s Register Energy will aim to deliver evidence-based certification guidelines for laser powder additive manufactured parts within 18 months.
Call for sponsors
The companies are calling for sponsors to contribute a detailed component design to form the subject of a case study. Each component will be taken from concept through to completion, ultimately providing the sponsor with a conditionally certified part that meets industrial requirements for quality, safety and consistency, and which is qualified ready for market introduction.
Sponsors will reportedly benefit from greatly improved knowledge of laser powder additive manufacturing processes and practices, and a reduced cost of certification thanks to the combined processing and manufacturing certification expertise of both TWI and Lloyd’s Register Energy.
To express an interest in attending the launch event, contact your nearest TWI office.
This story is reprinted from material from Lloyd’s Register Energy, with editorial changes made by Materials Today. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of Elsevier.