Plans are for the organizations to promote best practice in the 3D printing of ship components and spare parts for digital inventory, as well as improve materials recycling to improve sustainability. They also plan to develop new metal alloys and AM processes to expand the range of materials suitable, build a database for AM data and knowledge, and train the workforce to ensure that the professionals in the maritime and offshore sectors are equipped with the right mix of skills, knowledge and competencies to adopt and implement AM.
Singapore Polytechnic and MolyWorks aim to engage more than 30 local maritime and offshore companies to initiate joint industry and R&D projects, and recruit over ten students to be part of the growing deep tech startup ecosystem in Singapore.
“Additive manufacturing is a promising technology that creates opportunities in driving sustainability and transforming sustainable business practices in the maritime and offshore sector,” said Georgina Phua, deputy principal, Singapore Polytechnic.
“Singapore’s maritime industry has been an early pioneer in additive manufacturing (AM) technology for ships and port technologies,” said Kenneth Lim, assistant chief executive of the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). “Through these past three years of joint industry programmes, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, together with the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster and the Singapore Shipping Association, has catalysed a growing community of maritime users, service providers and technology developers for AM.”
