3D Printing in the Energy, Oil and Gas Industry

3D Printing Applications

A key application of 3D printing in the energy sector is rapid prototyping. Time to market is one of the most critical issues any industry faces – the longer their concept stays in the design cycle, the less potential profit for the company. With pressure to create solutions quickly, engineers and designers must make quick, accurate decisions during the concept stage. Rapid prototyping is a key step in design verification, but can pose a potential roadblock to launch if not executed quickly and cost-effectively. Rapid prototyping and 3D printing go hand-in-hand. 3D printing prototypes allows engineers to fail fast, produce multiple iterations and change a component design overnight to meet deadlines.

Utilizing 3D printing to fabricate production, end-use parts has also become an increasingly mainstream operation in the energy sector. Because 3D printing can create custom, complex parts faster than traditional manufacturing processes, engineers have found the technology to be a perfect solution for low-volume projects. 3D printing doesn’t require tooling, and it can product lightweight structures with complex internal features, a key element in the next-generation of energy, oil and gas components.

The oil and gas industry requires parts to meet robust performance and environmental standards. AM allows for complex geometries in one fluid build. Dense, corrosive resistant and high strength, 3D printing metal materials meet a number of application requirements. Newly developed 3D printing materials like Antero 800NA, a PEKK-based thermoplastic, combine hydrocarbon resistance, good tensile properties, and high heat-deflection.

One increasingly crucial application of 3D printing in the energy sector is seen in the spare parts market. The high cost of downtime and logistical challenges of distribution to wide-spread, remote locations has amounted to overstocking of spare parts. 3D printing provides a solution through fast, on-demand printing of legacy parts from an on-site system or a 3D printing service provider.

As energy, oil and gas companies continue to explore the benefits of 3D printing utilized efficiently in their supply chains, there could be significant growth seen in the industry. On offshore rigs, downtime can be very costly for an oil company; 3D printing addresses this challenge with on-site manufacturing, for fast replacement of broken parts. Energy, oil and gas engineers can pursue consolidated designs produced with AM for more efficient components. Increasingly, the technology is proving to be an efficient solution for the energy industries complex needs.