The impact of 3D printing on the energy sector

ADVERTISING

Click here to see over 150 oil prices.

Start trading CFDs on over 2200 more instruments

Click here to see over 150 oil prices.

Click Here for 150+ Global Oil Prices

Start Trading CFDs Over 2,200 Different Instruments

Click Here for 150+ Global Oil Prices

Click here to see over 150 oil prices.

Start trading CFDs on over 2200 more instruments

Click here to see over 150 oil prices.

Start Trading CFDs Over 2,200 Different Instruments

Click here to see over 150 oil prices.

More Info

There are several new technologies that lend themselves to improving the energy sector, from device learning to synthetic intelligence (AI). One of those generations is 3D printing, which allows companies in various energy sectors to temporarily print important parts to boost and reduce them. prices and delivery times. This generation is expected to boost oil and fuel operations, as well as renewable energy and nuclear energy activities, as more corporations adopt 3D printing equipment.

ADVERTISING

As part of its operations, ConocoPhillips uses gas turbines that compress natural gas through combustion, to reinject the gas into the reservoir for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), to generate electricity to power facilities and drilling equipment. The equipment relies on a burner plug, which allows fuel to be mixed with compressed air. However, these wear out over time and many of the original plugs are no longer being produced. Traditionally they have been replaced by local machine shops that use antiquated production methods, which require a manual up-front design phase and a laborious manufacturing and delivery phase of around 30 weeks. This process is the same for many of the components being used in operations, leading to lost time and revenue. This led ConocoPhillips to invest in 3D printing technology that could provide the components needed on-site in a short time frame of around three weeks. In the future, the company hopes to integrate AI and 3D printing technology to design parts digitally. This will mean less physical space will be needed to store parts thanks to the use of a digital inventory.

It’s a similar story in the renewable energy sector. As businesses digitize their operations, they are investing in 3D printing technology to help them save time and money. In the wind energy sector, Vestas manufactures wind turbines for 87 countries and the use of in-house 3D printing for traditional parts, specialized tooling, and prototyping has especially simplified operations. Jeremy Haight, Chief Engineer of Additive Manufacturing and Advanced Concepts at Vestas, said: “We introduced a 3D printing pilot program and saw a true return on investment in about six months. The effects were much greater than we thought.

Prior to adopting 3D printing technology, Vestas sourced critical factors from a multitude of suppliers around the world, who followed detailed production instructions. The production procedure can take anywhere from six to 12 weeks, while delivery and compliance checks can extend the time. If the parts met the structure’s site protection criteria, they would have to be redone. This has cost Vestas an enormous amount of time and money.

In contrast to hand-produced components from various vendors, 3D printing offers a level of standardization that can boost reliability and safety standards. Each of Vestas’s global facilities uses the same brand and type of industrial carbon-fiber 3D printer, a Markforged X7. Each has access to a digital inventory of component designs and detailed 3D printer settings. The company began its 3D printing program in 2021 and now prints over 10,000 parts a year.

In the Czech Republic, 3D printing has proven invaluable in tackling the supply chain constraints triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent war. Czech nuclear company Škoda JS printed thousands of plastic and metal parts needed to run nuclear operations. The printing machines can produce metal parts that weigh up to 600kg in a short time frame, helping the company to battle supply chain disruptions.

Investment in 3D printers is proving invaluable to corporations in the energy sector, from oil and fuel to renewable energy and nuclear power. The ability to temporarily produce critical parts on site, a giant virtual inventory, allows corporations to reduce prices. and time related to maintenance and ensuring that critical revenue-generating activities are maintained.

ADVERTISING

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply