Additive Manufacturing for Spare Parts in Marine and Offshore Applications

This paper presents a qualification framework for additive manufactured parts, considering the part geometry and tolerance, material selection, controlling and monitoring data, and historical, real, and functionality test data. After qualification test results meet design requirements, the qualified engineering specifications/essential parameters for the part denoting the solid model, feedstock material, digital build plan, build process, and the postbuild process can be used for fabrication within the qualified range. The developed procedure is applied to qualify additive manufactured gear sets integrated with shafts, flexible coupling sleeves, and an ejector nozzle for pump or generator applications. Part selection, design and optimization, fabrication of prototype part and test coupons, coupon test results, and function testing of prototype parts are summarized and provided based on an “equivalent” design requirement. The overall developed procedure provides a practical method for the adoption of additive manufacturing technology in compliance with design requirements for the marine and offshore industry.