Meeting place
components to streamlined and economically competitive 3D printed gaskets . Their investigations led them to select a fluorinebased polymer to be printed by FDM . This fluoropolymer has also been qualified in accordance with NORSOK M-710 to evaluate performance in sweet or sour environments . It is hopeful that this application could assist in deploying digital inventory solutions as proposed by many end users and independent players in the oil & gas industry . Significant reduction in lead times together with distributed manufacturing approach could be a game changer by cutting costs and increasing sustainability of supply chain .
Oil and gas applications
To further explain the impact of AM technology on the oil and gas industry , IMI Critical Engineering presents how the spare parts supply chain will be changed dramatically for critical components . It is argued that critical components can be re-engineered to optimise design for the additive manufacturing process to improve performance and reliability . Suppliers would be able to generate digital print files for the optimised component design , then build on an as-need basis through a network of approved AM suppliers . This would eliminate the need to maintain inventory of potentially obsolete or suboptimal components onsite . IMI Critical Engineering evaluated the readiness of additive manufacturing technology to supply components for the oil and gas exploration and production business . The study was conducted by engineers from exploration and production companies , AM suppliers , and a severe service control valves manufacturer . The goal was to build a valve flow control component with AM tech , to qualify production process and part using API20S , and conduct field trial . It was a collaborative effort to review valve component design and determine material and inspection requirements for Nickel alloy 718 AM components . The trial is ongoing .
Sustainability
Aidro Srl focuses its presentation on the design and sustainability benefits of additive manufacturing . The company sees a clear future for AM technology in hydraulic systems in oil and gas applications thanks to the customizability , meaning custom-made products can be made in limited batches or even on an individual as-need basis , for spare parts for example . According to Aidro , AM can in fact be exploited to respond quickly to the needs of customers who require out-of-catalogue components , quickly and in minimum batches .
But the possibility of rapid , small-batch production is not the only draw . The ability to design for additive manufacturing offers lightweight , compact and efficient solutions for complex systems . It is especially suitable for the design of
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Investing in new technology like 3D printing […] is investing in knowledge .
manifolds , valves and components due to its ability to build internal features , improve the shape of internal channels to optimise flow , eliminate the need for auxiliary drilling , and reduce the potential for leaks . In particular , due to its additive nature , only the necessary material for printing is used and the resultant part
has good mechanical properties combined with a low specific weight . These aspects offer a positive sustainable impact on the production side and help the oil and gas industry in some way to reduce its carbon footprint and tackle emissions and waste targets by 2030 .
More optimal solutions
Additive manufacturing is not only a suggestion for building parts , but also offers opportunities to fix issues in a non-conventional way . One example is equipment used in oil and gas applications prone to thermal shock , in particular catalyst injection and withdrawal valves in ebullated bed hydrocracking reactors exposed to daily thermal cycles . Current solutions such as the pre-heating of valves and the addition of thermal barrier coated sleeves still present shortcomings .
42 Valve World September 2022 www . valve-world . net