Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M), in partnership with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) Singapore Institute of ManufacturingTechnology (SIMTech) has been awarded the LRQA Certification for its Laser Aided Additive Manufacturing (LAAM) system to produce offshore grade steel. This certification conforms to the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) A131 requirements following an audit and successful mechanical testing.
Mr Aziz Merchant, Executive Director, Keppel Marine & Deepwater Technology, said: “This certification is the first step for us to produce high-value components essential to the offshore and marine structures. Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing as it is more commonly known will speed up production times which in turn can help bring projects to completion much quicker.”
“We are pleased to work with NTU and SIMTech since 2016 on developing AM technology, and the LRQA certification shows that the components we produce using this method are safe and fit for purpose – something that is paramount to our business.”
Besides reducing project lead times, 3D printing can also alleviate resource constraints, reduce the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing and provide long-term cost savings.
NTU researchers conducted rigorous tests on over 50 specimens of 3D-printed offshore grade steel, checking them on their material yield, tensile, elongation, fatigue and toughness properties. Coupled with an optimised 3D printing process, the material properties of the steel were found to have high standards that exceeded ASTM requirements.
Mr Hussain Quraishi, Senior Consultant in LRQA's Singapore Advisory Centre, said: “It’s great to see how AM can bring such positive benefits, not only to the businesses we’re working with, but to their customers too. AM is a highly innovative technique that more and more companies are turning to in their drive to offer high-quality components for use in projects across a wide range of industries.”
LRQA provides an additively-manufactured part certification service for all industries, from marine class-related parts to oil and gas upstream and downstream. Part certification involves assessing all aspects of a company’s production process, including design, material, facility, post-processing and testing.