Addressing and mitigating risks of failures in metals additive manufacturing concerning the maritime industry

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) arises as a promise to increase design freedom and hence to optimize equipment, as this uncages the manufacturing of more complex geometric shapes. Metal AM in the maritime industry is a process in early stages of development so caution- and consciousness are required when designing and reviewing processes (DRPs) are performed, since technological gaps represent a high risk for equipment structural resistance and life. Presented work researched some of most important technological gaps and failures within metals AM, lessons learned from past novel technologies, the environment in which the maritime industry is enclosed and respective common practices, concluding that dichotomy − decisions framed as binary choices of approval or rejection −, fixed mindsets − a belief that abilities and characteristics are static and unchangeable − and dependence of immature standards, guidelines and regulations represents a risk in terms of high potential of omissions. One of the challenges within mentioned ecosystem consists in improving internal processes and mindsets, both presenting necessary requirements to ensure safety of well-established technologies but also headlining gaps when under development ones are assessed. This publication suggests that the use of the new herein developed Cross-Hybrid Evaluations (CHP) in DRPs represents a significant leap towards safety insurance, increasing of reliability and reduction of barriers that hinders the plenty expansion of metal AM within maritime industry.