“With additive manufacturing, customised ship parts such as propellers previously produced by original manufacturers at specific locations can now be printed whenever and wherever needed, at ports of call or even on board ships,” said Dr. Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health.
With newer 3D printing technologies, worn-out parts can even be repaired instead of replaced by adding on to them, prolonging the lives of parts and lowering the cost of maintenance. By having a 3D printing facility at the port, components can be produced as-needed, reducing the need for physical inventory. With this sort of production, companies do not have to rely on centralized production factories with long lead times and expensive transport.
“As a leading maritime hub, Singapore firmly believes that the maritime industry should embrace new technologies such as additive manufacturing,” said Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MBA. “The digitalisation of the maritime sector in all its aspects is not a matter of how but when.”
“Skin tissue can even be printed based on a patient’s cells, enabling more targeted and effective medical treatments,” he said.
That’s only one of the many medical applications of 3D printing, but the big news to come out of the NAMIC summit was the announcement of the development of the port facility. The success of the facility could open the door for other transportation sectors to establish 3D printing facilities right at travel hubs, such as airports.
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[Source: Straits Times]