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How 3D Printing is Advancing Marine Manufacturing
- | Rapid Prototypes in Under 24 Hours
- | Cut costs by up to 90% compared to machining
- | Versatile tools for every stage of product development
With its ability to fabricate intricate designs, such as propellers, impellers, and turbine blades, 3D printing revolutionizes the production of underwater equipment, making it possible to achieve superior performance previously impossible through traditional manufacturing
3D printing technology has brought about significant advancements in the Canadian Marine Manufacturing industry. Industrial 3D Print technology facilitates the rapid and cost-effective construction of complex parts using lightweight, water-worthy thermoplastics, composites, and metals. This contributes to minimizing vessel and equipment downtime by offering efficient and economical repair solutions for parts damaged at sea. Furthermore, it caters to the unique needs of marine researchers by producing custom sensor housings capable of withstanding high-pressure subsea conditions and by enabling the development of prototypes for cutting-edge research tools used in the exploration of marine life and underwater ecosystems.
Precision Prototypes
3D printing revolutionizes rapid prototyping in marine manufacturing by offering unmatched speed, cost-efficiency, and design flexibility. This technology's versatility in material selection ensures prototypes meet the demands of the harsh marine environment, while its inherent sustainability reduces waste. Consequently, 3D printing accelerates marine component and vessel development, enhancing industry competitiveness and driving innovation.
UL-94 & Corrosion Resistant Materials
Advanced materials including UL-94-rated materials & FST-compliant materials provide fire resistance and minimize smoke and toxic emissions during fire incidents, enhancing safety in confined spaces. Corrosion-resistant materials, typically made from 3D printed stainless steel, ensure the durability and longevity of marine components exposed to harsh saltwater, reducing maintenance costs and ensuring the reliability of critical systems.
Canadian Marine Manufacturing
Marine designers can quickly iterate and adapt their designs, reducing the carbon footprint linked to long-distance shipping by manufacturing locally in Canada. Forge Labs empowers marine designers be more agile, environmentally friendly, and responsive to local needs. Lead times are reduced through rapid prototyping and production of components without the need for long shipping times.
Our Digital Manufacturing Process
Forge Labs' instant quoting platform helps strengthen your supply chain and obtain custom parts tailored to your needs—whether for prototyping, R&D, validation, or full-scale production. Leverage our advanced capabilities and virtually limitless capacity to accelerate your timelines and consistently meet innovation deadlines. Get end-use parts and prototypes printed directly from CAD files in as little as 1-4 business days. This time efficiency allows for additional rounds of testing, resulting in improved designs and reduced risks prior to tooling investment. Our extensive selection of materials gives designers the flexibility to experiment with everything from soft rubbers to flame-resistant plastics and metals.
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Solutions for Marine Product Design
Unlocked Design Freedom
3D printing provides marine manufacturing designers with unparalleled design freedom by enabling the creation of intricate and complex geometries, lightweight structures, and custom components tailored to specific needs. For example, manufacturers can use 3D printing to create lattice structures or honeycomb patterns that are lightweight yet strong, or to incorporate internal channels for cooling or fluid flow. Design flexibility also enables manufacturers to create components with complex internal structures or features such as components with integrated cavities, channels, or other features that would be difficult or impossible to create using traditional manufacturing methods. With 3D printing, designers can push the boundaries of conventional marine component and vessel design, driving innovation, efficiency, and customization while addressing the industry's unique challenges and requirements.
Advanced 3D Printing Materials
Designers in marine manufacturing benefit from an array of advanced 3D printing materials tailored to the marine environment's demanding conditions. These materials include high-performance plastics like ASA as well as Stainless Steel and Titanium which resist saltwater and UV exposure. Nylon and polyamide offer exceptional toughness and chemical resistance, while stainless steel ensures corrosion resistance. Aluminum alloys provide a combination of low weight and strength, carbon fiber-reinforced composites deliver high strength-to-weight ratios, and materials like PEEK and ULTEM offer resistance to chemicals and extreme temperatures. These material choices empower designers to optimize components for specific marine challenges, ensuring durability and performance.
Precision Rapid Prototyping
Industrial designers can now produce parts or products precisely when and where they are needed, eliminating the necessity for maintaining large inventories and long, complex supply chains. This transformation brings several advantages, such as reduced storage costs, lower risk of overproduction and waste, and the ability to respond rapidly to changes in demand or design modifications. On-demand production can lead to a reduction in waste and environmental impact, as it allows for the production of only the necessary components, rather than over-producing and potentially discarding excess parts. This can be particularly important in the marine industry, where environmental concerns are often a key consideration. Overall, on-demand production offers several advantages for marine manufacturers, including cost savings, increased flexibility and responsiveness, and a reduction in waste and environmental impact. This makes it a powerful tool for improving the efficiency and sustainability of the marine manufacturing process.
On-Demand Production of Water-Worthy Parts
Industrial designers can now produce parts or products precisely when and where they are needed, eliminating the necessity for maintaining large inventories and long, complex supply chains. This transformation brings several advantages, such as reduced storage costs, lower risk of overproduction and waste, and the ability to respond rapidly to changes in demand or design modifications. On-demand production can lead to a reduction in waste and environmental impact, as it allows for the production of only the necessary components, rather than over-producing and potentially discarding excess parts. This can be particularly important in the marine industry, where environmental concerns are often a key consideration. Overall, on-demand production offers several advantages for marine manufacturers, including cost savings, increased flexibility and responsiveness, and a reduction in waste and environmental impact. This makes it a powerful tool for improving the efficiency and sustainability of the marine manufacturing process.
Case Studies in Marine Design
Replacing Traditional Manufacturing with 3D Printing
International Submarine Engineering has been able to replace traditionally machined parts on their newest Explorer class AUVs with 3D printed parts from Forge Labs - reducing turnaround time on complex parts, lowering costs, and allowing more freedom of design.
3D Printed Mold Tools with PolyJet 3D Printing
How International Submarine Engineering used PolyJet to rapidly manufacture mold tools to create a number of components on their AUV.
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