HMM, Korea's First Demonstration of '3D Printing for Ships'

HMM announced on the 17th that it will conduct the first-ever demonstration of a '3D Printing System for Ships' in Korea.

HMM container ship. Provided by HMM

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The 3D printing system for ships is a technology that enables the in-house production of necessary parts during ship operation using 3D printing. It is specially designed to operate in various ship navigation environments and can instantly produce over 350 types of various small and medium-sized parts, ranging from bolts and nuts to flanges (connecting pipes).

The demonstration will be conducted on the 9000TEU (1TEU = one 20-foot container) class container ship 'HMM Green'. HMM plans to closely examine the smooth operation of the system and the feasibility of procuring ship parts in actual navigation conditions.

This system uses metal powder to produce stainless steel parts, ensuring sufficient durability. Existing 3D printing for ships used plastic materials.

HMM expects that once the system is commercialized, it will improve parts procurement time and inventory levels, thereby reducing maintenance costs and time that frequently occur during ship operation.

Previously, to develop the technology, HMM signed a business agreement in September 2023 with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering, Korean Register, American Bureau of Shipping, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering, Ulsan Metropolitan City, Ulsan Information Industry Promotion Agency, CS CAM, and others to start joint research based purely on domestic technology.

An HMM official said, "We will actively participate in various research and development of the latest technologies and strengthen competitiveness through the introduction of new technologies."

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