{"id":2094,"date":"2017-04-24T10:00:25","date_gmt":"2017-04-24T15:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/inthefold\/?p=2094"},"modified":"2018-01-30T11:38:56","modified_gmt":"2018-01-30T11:38:56","slug":"port-of-rotterdam","status":"publish","type":"stories","link":"https:\/\/adsknews.autodesk.com\/en\/stories\/port-of-rotterdam\/","title":{"rendered":"Port of Rotterdam\u2019s RAMLAB and Autodesk pioneer \u2018on-demand\u2019 additive manufacturing for ship repair"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"InspectingPort of Rotterdam image courtesy of Freek van Arkel.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Port of Rotterdam\u2019s Additive Manufacturing Fieldlab (RAMLAB) and Autodesk<\/a> have revealed the first pilot component as they pioneer the use of additive manufacturing in the maritime industry. A ship\u2019s propeller was made using a hybrid manufacturing process combining wire and arc additive manufacturing using industrial robotic arms and subtractive machining and grinding techniques. As the largest port in Europe, the Netherlands\u2019 Port of Rotterdam is one of the most important intersections for the flow of cargo in the world. It offers the region\u2019s best connections to global ports and handles over 460 million tons of cargo a year, so it\u2019s imperative that the facility and ships run smoothly. Currently, if a vessel comes into port needing a replacement part\u2014a propeller, for example\u2014 it can take weeks or months to order and deliver, costing companies millions of dollars while they wait. It can also be quite costly for companies to keep large stockpiles of parts in warehouses around the globe. <\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>A ship’s propeller created for the project using the new \u2018hybrid manufacturing\u2019 technique will be displayed at the Autodesk stand at <\/em>Hannover Messe<\/em><\/a> on 24-28 April.<\/em><\/p>\n

To tackle this challenge, the Port opened the innovative RAMLAB, an onsite facility which includes a pair of 6-axis robotic arms capable of additively manufacturing large metal industrial parts. The team at RAMLAB works with a dedicated network of hardware and software partners, academic and certification institutions and key end users to help the Port stay on course to become the smartest port in the world. As a main software partner, Autodesk has played a key role in developing RAMLAB\u2019s innovative hybrid manufacturing approach, which entails combining additive and subtractive manufacturing. This style enables RAMLAB to pursue faster fabrication options: 3D printing large ship components in metal and then finishing the pieces using traditional CNC milling and grinding methods within a matter of days, saving time and money without sacrificing precision or performance.