END USER INTERVIEW
Making the Case for Additive
An Interview with Carlo De Bernardi – Staff
Additive manufacturing technologies represent the future for various industries , including but not limited to : aerospace , medicine , transportation , energy , and consumer products . Many industries have already made additive manufacturing a major part of their day-to-day operations , while others are just beginning to experiment with this revolutionary technology . Additive manufacturing , also known as 3D printing , manufacture quickly and precisely objects that are made of metals or polymers by printing them layer by layer , as opposed to machine them out from a large piece of raw material . In the oil & gas industry and the valve manufacturing industry , additive manufacturing is starting to make its debut . While not without hurdles and roadblocks , this technology is extremely promising .
Valve World Americas had the pleasure of speaking with Carlo De Bernardi , Staff Valve Engineer – Global Production , about how ConocoPhillips , one of the world ’ s largest independent E & P companies , is making additive manufacturing a top priority in its future plans .
By Angelica Pajkovic and Sarah Bradley
he explained . De Bernardi first began researching additive manufacturing approximately six years ago , and it has since become a major focus in his role .
Additive Manufacturing : What are the Possibilities ?
Carlo De Bernardi .
The Valve Expert
Carlo De Bernardi ’ s career path has been full of twists and turns , making him an expert not only in valves , but also in adaptability . By degree , he is a Civil Engineer , but at ConocoPhillips , his focus is much more centered on mechanical engineering . In his 20s , De Bernardi wanted to travel , and in 2001 settled into a position with Cameron , a Schlumberger company , at one of the largest valve manufacturing facilities in the world , near his hometown in northern Italy . This role promised that his job would involve travel , and that is what convinced him to begin his career in the valve industry . “ Once you are in the valve industry , there is no way out ,” he said . He worked for Cameron for more than a decade , before being hired at ConocoPhillips in 2013 .
Now a long-time employee of ConocoPhillips , De Bernardi works in the Global Production department , with a specific focus on valves . Day-to-day , half of De Bernardi ’ s role is focused on supporting operations , supporting projects , managing the approved vendor list , and of course , troubleshooting all valve related problems . While he enjoys supporting different projects , De Bernardi admits that it can be quite stressful , especially in the current global climate : “ We are living in such a changing landscape , and that is becoming quite stressful as we must keep adapting . Being adaptable is , I would say , the key to not only survive , but to thrive in this environment .”
In addition to his focus on valves , De Bernardi spends a large portion of his time working with additive manufacturing . “ I would say that approximately 50 % of my job is valve support . The other 50 % is focused on additive manufacturing ,”
De Bernardi spearheaded the creation of the API Standard 20S task group , which is entirely dedicated to researching and trialing “ additively manufactured metallic components for use in the petroleum and natural gas industries .” De Bernardi is one of ConocoPhillips ’ strongest advocates for the future of additive manufacturing , as “ the potential of this technology is , in my opinion , extremely significant .”
According to ISO / ASTM standards , there are seven different types of additive technology . When asked which additive manufacturing technologies he believes are the most promising for oil & gas for the purpose of metallurgy , De Bernardi replied that there are three specific technologies which are frequently used methods : Powder Bed Fusion ( PBF ), Directed Energy Deposition ( DED ), and Binder Jetting ( BJT ).
In PBF , powdered metal is fused together using an energy source , typically a laser or electron beam . PBF is one of the most utilized technologies because it is very controlled and very precise ; its main limitations are the speed of printing and the size of the product that it can print . In Directed Energy Deposition , metal powder or wire is fed into a meltpool created by a laser or electron beam in a process similar to welding . It is a robotic type of welding that is more controlled than traditional robotic welding , but the basic concept is the same . While , virtually , there are no limitations in size , there are limitations in resolution with this type of technology . Finally , binder jetting is the newest technology , and involves the 3D printing of hard metals . A binding agent
“ If the evolution of technology in the oil & gas industry continues , we can expect the objects produced in this manner to be of better quality , higher repeatability , and lower cost .”
10 Valve World Americas | September 2022 • www . valve-world-americas . net