End User Interview
On the job with the additive manufacturing team in the Shell global supply chain Centre of Excellence .
gas sector . Against that backdrop , energy companies are willing to work together to operationalise these existing standards into a process for a digital inventory ecosystem . “ It ’ s exciting that our sector is increasingly willing to embrace AM technology , as it is more and more necessary for us to use material responsibly . Industry standards are key in this accelerated adoption . We will all benefit from an operational standpoint because AM technology offers a tangible way to source material quickly for the future .”
Avoiding bottlenecks
While the adoption of AM in the supply chain is evolving rapidly , Angeline points out two potential challenges that need to be overcome ; quality management and the adoption of new business models . “ Energy companies are often under a lot of scrutiny from governments and society not to harm the environment , and safety is paramount to us . Quality management underpins all of the benefits we want to achieve with this technology .” Failing to achieve the right quality level , she explains , would lead to negative environmental impacts ( e . g . leaks of hydrocarbons ) and / or lost production . It is paramount to ensure that the quality of 3D printed parts is properly managed and can be consistently repeated despite changes in distribution and manufacturing . Exactly how to do that is an issue that members of the digital inventory ecosystem need to discuss together and implement collectively . Secondly , the adoption of digital spare parts requires a new business model . This is a journey that end users , OEMs and 3D printing service providers need to take together so that we have the opportunity to grow and map out a road map for the future . “ An important point is that the companies involved are at different levels of maturity . It will take time for everyone to understand what ’ s required to build their new business model and discover how to be profitable ”. Collaboration , a willingness to share information and grow together , and an enabling framework structure are the key ingredients for this journey to succeed .
Optimistic for the future
Despite the challenges , Angeline is excited about what the future holds . “ I ’ m very optimistic because I can see how this is already happening in other sectors .
While AM is relatively new for the energy sector , other industries , such as aerospace , automotive , and consumer goods , are much more advanced . We can look to our sectorial peers to learn from them . There is no going back to the old way of doing things ; for example , today , you can ’ t imagine waiting months for your dentist to fit a crown because it has to be made in another continent , as used to be the case . People are used to the new standard : that items can quickly be customised . The energy business still needs to make that journey , and we cannot do it in isolation . We must consider what collaborative structure we need in the new business model .”
AM Ambassador
Angeline is proud to act as an ambassador in the field of additive manufacturing . “ I ’ m passionate about sharing knowledge and information and pushing ourselves to spread success stories and learnings in various forms . That ’ s why we go and speak at conferences with my team members . It helps to raise acceptance of the application of AM technology in the energy sector , allowing us to learn from other people in the field . This inspires us to grow better and faster .”
28 Valve World February 2023 www . valve-world . net