MN3D network established for Additive Manufacturing in maritime industry
June 18, 2020
A new network, MN3D, has been established by the Maritime Cluster Northern Germany (MCN) to drive the adoption of Additive Manufacturing in the maritime industry. Funded by the Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM) of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, the network aims to develop improved, alternative manufacturing methods and products for the maritime sector. In doing so, its special needs and requirements will be taken into account.
These concerns include the size and exposure of the objects to low-frequency vibrations, seawater resistance, durability of objects and associated reliability, accessibility of the objects, environmental requirements and economic efficiency. The implementation of AM in the maritime industry and marketing strategies will also be jointly driven by the network partners.
Global sales in Additive Manufacturing, including software, hardware and materials, reportedly rose by 18% in 2018 to over €8 billion. The AM market is expected to continue to grow rapidly in the coming years.
All activities of the MN3D network partners will be directed towards the joint development of concrete research and development projects to promote innovations in AM for the maritime industry. To this end, applications will be submitted to the ZIM program for further funding. Currently, R&D projects are being planned on surface quality, materials, integration of sensor technology, component sizes and tool life.
The MN3D network partners include the following companies and research institutions:
- Winter 3D Konstruktions GmbH
- DNV GL SE
- FEM composites
- Gebr. Friedrich Industrie- und Elektrotechnik GmbH
- Gebr. Potthast Kunststoff Spritzguss GmbH & Co KG
- Gefertec GmbH
- JBS System GmbH
- Mecklenburg Metallguss GmbH
- REINTJES GmbH
- Rolf Lenk Werkzeug- und Maschinenbau GmbH
- SLM Solutions Group AG
- SMILE-FEM GmbH
- Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH
- Treo – Laboratory for environmental simulation GmbH
- Weihe GmbH
- Fraunhofer Institute for Additive Production Technologies IAPT
- Helmholtz Center Geesthacht Center for Materials and Coastal Research GmbH
- Flensburg University of Applied Sciences
- Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
Further information is available via the network website.
