thyssenkrupp recently announced they will be producing 3D printed parts for the maritime industry. The announcement comes from a collaboration with Wilhelmsen, a large maritime products and services provider.
Both companies signed a Memorandum of Agreement that highlights the production and supply of 3D-printed components for maritime vessels, leveraging on thyssenkrupp’s deep expertise in AM alongside Wilhelmsen’s in-depth maritime expertise. In the long run, both companies will develop 3D printing as a service for vessels.
The two partners will also leverage on the capabilities of the recently inaugurated thyssenkrupp Tech Center in Singapore and its Global Additive Manufacturing Tech Center in Mulheim, which has been awarded the Approval of Manufacturer certificate by quality assurance and risk management firm DNV GL.
The capabilities combined to the certification confirm that the materials producer can provide metal 3D products for application in maritime and other industrial sectors, which further cements the company’s unique capabilities in utilizing metal additive manufacturing.
“We are extremely excited with this new milestone for us in the arena of Additive Manufacturing,” said Jan Lueder, CEO of thyssenkrupp Asia Pacific. “After securing [a] certified facility for marine 3D printing, we are now partnering with one of the biggest shipping companies in the world to deliver our AM expertise to our marine customers across the globe.”
US-based company Ivaldi Group will join the collaboration as a technology partner. The start-up is partly owned by Wilhelmsen that utilizes its platform to commercialize 3D products for the maritime industry.
“Formalizing this partnership here in Singapore is only natural given size of maritime industry here and the vibrant innovation ecosystem which Singapore offers,” noted Lueder. “We look forward to introducing our deep engineering expertise and solutions to customers here in Asia Pacific and potentially the rest of the world to the wonders of AM for marine industry.”