While additive manufacturing (AM) grows at a rapid pace, there is no standardised way of proving to manufacturers and regulators that AM products are safe.
AM techniques give companies the flexibility to design innovative products and reduce production lead times, but there are still significant barriers to overcome to ensure consistent quality and safety. To compound this issue, there are currently no global certification schemes that consider AM-produced parts.
LR has introduced a broad-based, AM part certification service that spans all industries, from marine classification to oil and gas verification.
LR has produced a suite of guidance notes covering the certification of feedstocks, metallic and polymer-based parts, and the qualification of additive manufactured facilities. They provide a framework that allows clients to develop their additive manufacturing products with the confidence that they will meet the required quality standards. They include:
Our guidance notes for metallic parts, consumables for wire-arc additive manufacturing and metallic powders are exclusively available in Regs4ships, OneOcean’s regulatory compliance solution. The Guidance Notes for Polymer Additive Manufacturing Certification are available for download here.
Additive Manufacturing techniques have a lot to offer maritime. The use of 3D printing can support ageing fleets through the replication of obsolete components, reduce the level of parts needing to be held on in warehouses and bring down lead times. But as an emerging technology, there is some uncertainty around its use.
We’ve introduced a service catalogue to help manufacturers prove to their clients and the market that their parts meet the required codes, standards, quality controls and assurance requirements.
It includes:
We feel that manufacturers should be able to use AM to its full potential which is why we have developed our Additive Manufacturing Product Certification service. We apply evolving international standards on AM, setting the requirements to prove equivalence with existing manufacturing methods, codes and standards, and apply our knowledge to help develop international standards on AM.
When we work with clients to certify their AM parts, we look at not only their designs but their material selection and supplier capabilities, as well as the AM facility they'll use. We do this through our Guidance notes for Additive Manufacturing certification. We can also advise our clients on routes to train and develop personnel for Additive Manufacturing.
As AM is a relatively new technology for many industries, our certification can be tailored related to process, technique, feedstock and application. Inspection requirements are specific to these criteria. Our expert team is here to help your organisation with the technical details.
LR's third-party certification services provide confidence to manufacturers and clients by ensuring products and components meet high standards, offering compliance and performance services to make businesses safe, sustainable, and efficient. These go beyond pass/fail assessments by connecting clients with expertise and sharing domain experience to add value and clarify technical details.
Founded on social purpose values, LR focuses on safety and delivering sustainable change for the future. LR provide technical capabilities through digital services, utilising data and real-time intelligence for transparency and oversight throughout project lifecycles.
To enhance your experience and to expand the availability of the Rules and Regulations, Lloyd’s Register Rules will be exclusively available in Regs4ships, OneOcean’s regulatory compliance solution.
On signing up for this service, you can access the following free of charge: Rules and Regulations, and those for specialised ship types, including special service craft and naval ships, Guidance information and Notices.
