Last week the world’s first Class approved 3D printed ship’s propeller was unveiled at the Damen shipyard in Rotterdam.
The propeller dubbed WAAMpeller owes its name to the process by which it was produced (Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing) and was made possible by close collaboration between The Port of Rotterdam’s RAMLAB, Promarin, Autodesk, Bureau Veritas and Damen.
The propeller has been rigorously tested on a Damen tug proving that 3D printing is viable for components that are subject to harsh operating conditions. Previous use of 3D printing for ships spares was limited to simple components such as palm-sized plastic fans for motors produced in a project by Maersk.
Read more > 3D printed propeller is milestone is spare parts
thumbnail courtesy of shipinsight.com
