Additive manufacturing for maritime spare parts supply: An overview.

Additive Manufacturing (AM), also called 3D Printing (3DP) is not a new technology. The technology was invented over 30 years ago. Originally thought of as simply an application for rapid prototyping, it has developed significantly and is now a viable option for many applications including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, construction and consumer products. This paper offers a brief introduction to the history of AM/3DP and an overview of the current state of the art in AM/3DP technologies focusing on their fundamental processes, typical materials, significant benefits, key applications and critical challenges to implementation. Finally a description of the potential benefits to the maritime industry that can be gained by implementation of AM/3DP technologies is presented. The most immediate is the possibility of more efficient logistics, for example the maritime spare parts supply.