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HD Hyundai Heavy, HMM aim to 3-D print ship parts by December

Published: 17 Mar. 2025, 17:05

LEE JAE-LIM
[email protected]

A consortium of domestic shipyards and container shipping companies successfully demonstrated the 3-D printing of ship components at HD Hyundai Samho shipyard in South Jeolla. [HD HYUNDAI]

A consortium of domestic shipyards and container shipping companies successfully demonstrated the 3-D printing of ship components, a significant step for their maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations.

The consortium — including Ulsan and affiliated organizations, CSCAM, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE), HMM and the Korean Register — expects the 3-D printing system, set to be complete by December 2025, to save ship operators significant time and money when manufacturing MRO-related parts.

Traditionally, large vessels carry various spare parts before departure in case of unexpected breakdowns. With 3-D printing, ships can produce required parts on demand, eliminating the need for large inventory space and reducing order, production and delivery time.

HD HHI and HMM said their 3-D printing technology demonstrated stable operation — a key factor to reducing vibration in the process, since ships are constantly in motion — during the final evaluation and demonstration at the HD Hyundai Samho shipyard in South Jeolla.

The project launched in 2023 with support from Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy,

HD HHI, a shipbuilding subsidiary of HD KSOE, aims to commercialize the technology, building a digital parts library and establishing a network between ships and ports for remote ordering and localized part supply.

The subsidiary, in collaboration with HD KSOE, is developing carbon steel powder to create ship components, ideal for 3-D printing ship parts due to is durability and cost effectiveness compared to plastic or stainless steel.

“This demonstration has confirmed the competitiveness of 3-D printing technology in the shipbuilding industry,” an HD HHI official said. “We will continue to lead innovation in the ship MRO sector through ongoing research and development.”

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]