Emergency Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul
Enabled by 3D Printing Technology
Onboard Operating Vessels
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has developed a world-first 3D printing technology for emergency maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) within operating vessels.
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, a shipbuilding affiliate of HD Hyundai, recently announced on the 17th that it successfully completed the final evaluation and demonstration of the ‘3D Printing Convergence Demonstration Technology for Onboard Maintenance Part Manufacturing (3D Printing Digital Workshop)’ at HD Hyundai Samho located in Mokpo, Jeollanam-do.
In 2023, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries formed a consortium with Ulsan City and its affiliated organizations, CS CAM, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore, HMM, and Korean Register (KR), supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, to undertake the ‘3D Printing Digital Workshop’ project.
This project is scheduled to be completed by December and aims to develop and demonstrate a 3D printing system capable of rapidly manufacturing MRO-related parts onboard operating vessels.
Large vessels on long voyages carry various types of spare parts to prepare for unexpected situations before departure. However, with the introduction of 3D printing technology, necessary parts can be produced onboard at any time and replaced immediately. Since the entire process from ordering, manufacturing, to delivery is shortened, it is expected to save both time and costs.
Through this demonstration, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries not only operated 3D printing equipment onboard but also verified technology for reducing ship motion and vibration. Because vessels navigating on water experience continuous movement, technology to reduce motion and vibration is essential for stable operation of 3D printers.
A bird's-eye view of a container ship equipped with a 3D printing digital workshop. Provided by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plans to fully commercialize 3D printing technology in the future. It intends to build a digital library of various parts and establish networking between ports and vessels to enable remote ordering of necessary parts, allowing easy supply from nearby ports. Additionally, it is accelerating technology development for diversifying materials, such as developing carbon steel powder materials for shipbuilding in collaboration with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore. Through this, it expects to expand the range of parts that can be 3D printed while also achieving cost reduction effects.
An official from HD Hyundai Heavy Industries stated, "This demonstration confirmed the competitiveness of 3D printing technology in the shipbuilding industry," adding, "We will lead innovation in the ship MRO sector through continuous research and development."
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