Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M), in partnership with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), has been awarded the Lloyd’s Register (LR) Certification for its Laser-Aided Additive Manufacturing (LAAM) system to produce offshore grade steel.

This certification conforms to the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) A131 requirements following an audit and successful mechanical testing.

Mr Aziz Merchant, Executive Director, Keppel Marine & Deepwater Technology, said: “This certification is the first step for us to produce high-value components essential to the offshore and marine structures. Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing, as it is more commonly known, will speed up production times which in turn can help bring projects to completion much quicker.”

Besides reducing project lead times, 3D printing can also alleviate resource constraints, reduce the carbon footprint associated with manufacturing and provide long-term cost savings.

NTU researchers conducted rigorous tests on over 50 specimens of 3D-printed offshore grade steel, checking them on their material yield and tensile, elongation, fatigue and toughness properties. Coupled with an optimized 3D printing process, the material properties of the steel were found to have high standards that exceeded ASTM requirements.

Mr Hussain Quraishi, Senior Consultant in LR’s Singapore Advisory Center, said “It’s great to see how AM can bring such positive benefits, not only to the businesses we’re working with, but to their customers, too. AM is a highly innovative technique that more and more companies are turning to in their drive to offer high-quality components for use in projects across a wide range of industries.”

LR provides an additively manufactured part certification service for all industries, from marine class-related parts to oil and gas upstream and downstream. Part certification involves assessing all aspects of a company’s production process, including design, material, facility, post-processing and testing.

Learn more about the certification at Lloyd’s Register.