🖨️ From Design to Deck: How 3D Printing Is Reinventing Shipbuilding One Layer at a Time

My name is Davide Ramponi, I’m 21 years old and currently training as a shipping agent in Hamburg. On my blog, I take you with me on my journey into the exciting world of shipping. I share my knowledge, my experiences, and my progress on the way to becoming an expert in the field of Sale and Purchase – the trade with ships.

If you’ve been following tech trends in shipbuilding lately, one innovation keeps surfacing across shipyards, design firms, and procurement departments: 3D printing, or more formally, additive manufacturing (AM).

At first glance, it might sound like hype—surely you can’t “print” a ship. But behind the scenes, 3D printing is already being used for a wide array of components, tooling, and spare parts. And in certain applications, it’s proving faster, cheaper, and more flexible than traditional methods.

So, how is 3D printing actually being used in newbuild projects today? What are the limitations? And could we one day see printers onboard ships themselves?

In this post, I’ll walk you through:

• ⚙️ Components and parts currently being printed for ships

• 🧾 How AM is changing procurement and spare part logistics

• 🚫 The limitations, regulatory hurdles, and quality control questions

• 🏭 Which shipyards and OEMs are leading the charge

• 🚀 The future of onboard printing and digital part inventories

Let’s unpack how the world of newbuilds is being reassembled—layer by layer.

⚙️ What Can Be Printed Today? (Spoiler: More Than You Think)

Additive manufacturing has moved well beyond prototyping. In today’s shipbuilding supply chain, we’re seeing real use cases in both metal and polymer 3D printing.

🔩 Current Applications in Metal Printing:

• Pump impellers

• Fuel nozzles and spray tips

• Valve housings and heat exchangers

• Propeller blades (small-scale or prototypes)

• Custom brackets, mounts, and reinforcement structures

🛠️ Materials used:

• Stainless steel

• Inconel (for high-temp parts)

• Titanium (where weight savings justify cost)

🔧 Applications in Polymer and Composite Printing:

• Cable ducts, pipe brackets, and protective housings

• Custom tooling, jigs, and assembly guides

• Interior trim components (e.g., cabin panels, air diffusers)

• Prototypes for ergonomic testing (e.g., bridge controls)

🔁 Turnaround time:

Often within 48–72 hours from digital file to part—much faster than waiting for custom machining or overseas shipments.

📦 Logistics & Procurement: A Digital Shift

Imagine reducing inventory without risking downtime. That’s the 3D printing promise—make what you need, when you need it, instead of over-ordering spares or waiting weeks for deliveries.

🧾 Benefits for Shipowners and Builders:

• Shorter lead times on niche parts

• Reduced dependence on global supply chains

• Lower warehousing and inventory costs

• Rapid production of obsolete or discontinued parts

• More design freedom for custom, space-constrained geometries

📍 Example:

A European shipowner needed a discontinued impeller model for an auxiliary pump. Instead of reverse engineering the mold or searching used stock, they 3D scanned the old unit and printed a replacement in marine-grade stainless—all within four days.

💡 Lesson:

With the right file and certification, a warehouse can become a print hub.

🚫 The Limits: What We Can’t Print (Yet)

As exciting as additive manufacturing is, it’s not a silver bullet. Many parts are still better suited to traditional casting, forging, or welding.

Key limitations:

• Size constraints: Large-scale prints (e.g. full-size propellers or structural frames) are still expensive, slow, or mechanically limited

• Surface finish: High-precision mating surfaces often require post-processing

• Fatigue resistance: Some printed metals show microstructural anomalies unless heat-treated or stress-relieved

• Material cost: AM-grade metal powders are 2–5x more expensive than raw billet

• Speed: AM is not suited for high-volume, identical parts (yet)

📜 Regulatory catch:

For mission-critical components, classification societies require certification—meaning the printer, the material, and the process must be approved.

🔍 Class Society Guidance (as of 2024):

• DNV has a guideline (DNVGL-CG-0197) for additive manufacturing in maritime

• Lloyd’s Register and ABS have issued white papers and pilot approvals for AM parts

• Approvals are typically case-by-case, with process audits and testing of mechanical properties

🏭 Who’s Leading the Way?

Some shipyards and OEMs aren’t waiting—they’re integrating AM into the newbuild process today.

⚓ Damen Shipyards (Netherlands)

• Uses 3D printing for custom metal parts and tools

• Partners with RAMLAB and Autodesk for on-demand spare production

• Successfully printed and installed a certified ship propeller (WAAM method)

⚓ Naval Group (France)

• Focus on defense applications and complex geometry parts

• Incorporates titanium AM for space-constrained systems

• Runs a dedicated additive manufacturing facility for naval contracts

⚓ Huntington Ingalls (USA)

• Applies metal 3D printing in block assembly and hull outfitting

• Invests in wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) for large-format parts

• Collaborates with Siemens and the U.S. Navy on industrial-scale AM strategy

⚓ Wärtsilä, MAN Energy Solutions, and Siemens Energy

• Use AM for engine fuel systems, burner components, and heat exchanger parts

• Develop digitally certified spare parts libraries

• Integrate AM into service contracts for lifecycle support

🧠 Insight: 

The real pioneers aren’t just printing—they’re redesigning parts specifically for AM to exploit geometry freedom and reduce material usage.

🚀 Future Prospects: Printing Onboard or On-Site?

The next evolution isn’t just printing faster—it’s printing closer to the point of need.

🔧 1. On-Site Shipyard Printing Cells

Imagine a drydock with its own print lab. This is already becoming reality at certain yards:

• Rapid tool production for hull outfitting

• Emergency part fabrication without leaving site

• Integrated design-print-install workflows

⚓ 2. Onboard Printers: Dream or Reality?

For now, onboard AM is limited to non-critical plastic parts, such as:

• Clips, covers, and minor fittings

• Emergency pipe repairs

• Custom holders or ergonomic items for crew

But imagine a future container ship equipped with a metal 3D printer and a digital inventory of certified designs. Need a fuel line bracket or a door latch? Print and install—without calling the yard.

⚠️ Barriers remain:

• Maritime certifications

• Printer footprint and power demand

• Crew training and quality assurance

Still, for long-haul vessels or remote expedition ships, onboard AM could offer real operational resilience.

🔑 Strategic Considerations for Owners and Builders

Adopting 3D printing isn’t about buying a machine. It’s about building a digital manufacturing strategy that aligns with your operations, risk profile, and technical goals.

✅ 1. Identify High-Impact Use Cases

Start with parts that are:

• Low in volume

• High in cost or lead time

• No longer produced

• Difficult to source in remote regions

✅ 2. Build Your Digital Part Library

• Use 3D scanning for legacy parts

• Work with OEMs to license printable files

• Ensure file security and version control

✅ 3. Collaborate with Class and OEMs

• Pre-certify printable components

• Align processes with class requirements

• Include AM capabilities in service contracts

✅ 4. Think in Terms of Ecosystems

Adoption works best when printing is tied to:

• ERP systems

• Maintenance schedules

• Spare part forecasting

🧩 AM works best when integrated, not isolated.

🧭 Conclusion: Printing the Future—One Part at a Time

3D printing won’t replace shipyards—but it will redefine how parts are made, moved, and maintained. From shortening lead times to enabling smarter, leaner supply chains, additive manufacturing is becoming a strategic asset in modern shipbuilding.

Key Takeaways 🎯

• 3D printing is already used for a wide range of components—from pumps to brackets

• Spare part logistics and procurement are being streamlined through on-demand AM

• Limitations remain in size, certification, and fatigue performance—but progress is rapid

• Leading yards and OEMs are adopting AM in production and service environments

• The future points toward on-site and even onboard production of select parts

👇 Have you used or specified a 3D-printed part in a shipbuilding or repair project?

What results did you see—and where do you see the biggest opportunity next?

💬 Share your thoughts in the comments — I look forward to the exchange!

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