Valve World Conference 2022 will feature a technical session on additive manufacturing , focusing on the general benefits and giving a platform to some key results from recent studies . Over these next pages , you can find an overview of what to expect from this session hosted on 29 November at 13:30 . |
Additive manufacturing of parts and components offers numerous opportunities for the process industries , such as leaner and more sustainable supply chains , reduced lead times , and innovative alternatives for existing equipment design and manufacture . Using Computer Aided Design ( CAD ) software , new and highly efficient geometries can be designed in a way that is led by the function of the part . This is opposed to traditional manufacturing processes which see material removed from a solid bulk ; instead , AM methods layer a material from the base up . One of the most typical methods is known as Fused Deposition Modelling ( FDM ) which uses an extruder to deposit a thermoplastic layer by layer which then solidifies . The majority of AM valves , however , are made from metal for which the main AM technologies are : laser powder bed fusion , binder jetting , direct metal deposition , and wire arc additive manufacturing ( WAAM ). For valves in particular , the technology is now being embraced as a way to tackle challenges with spare parts and component supply , design and materials , and waste generation . Materials
The first presentation demonstrates how the interest in additively manufactured parts has grown in the oil and gas industry thanks to the
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highly customizable features of the technology and the offer of a more streamlined supply chain . A further attraction is that several specifications are available to qualify polymeric materials for oil and gas applications , a familiar material with historical use in the industry . Those specifications are API 6A , ISO 23936 and NORSOK M-710 . Presenters from Valland SpA have found that , while polymers do not cover as broad a range of applications as metal , advanced 3D printable
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is much more than a new manufacturing process , it ’ s a new way of thinking and making things .
polymers have been largely optimised to be manufactured on small- and large-scale systems . At the same time , due to their limited cost and ease of fabrication compared to their metal counterparts , additively manufactured soft components stand as promising candidates to empower the adoption of 3D printing in well-established industries . In particular , the Valland team designed and manufactured an innovative series of soft gaskets to replace conventional seals for pressure valves , as a shift away from complex multi-material
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