Saudi Arabian 3D printing service provider Namthaja has additively manufactured an ISO-certified marine gangway.
Using Fused Granulate Fabrication (FGF) technology, the company sought to produce a marine gangway that was lighter than conventionally manufactured alternatives, while matching their performance.
Marine gangways are used by boat crews to embark and disembark, with Namthaja therefore having to ensure the printed part(s) is/are robust enough to allow crew members to get on and off the vessel.
Namthaja’s 3D printed gangway, which is additively manufactured as a single component, is 3 metres long and 60 centimetres wide. It has been designed in accordance with ISO 7061:2015 standards, which state values for the allowable deflection under specified testing loads of 40mm (maximum) when loaded with 720kg. According to Namthaja, its marine gangway is capable of bearing 750kg of load with a deflection less than 20mm. It is also said to be 30% lighter than existing metallic gangways.
For the 3D printed gangway, Namthaja used an FGF production set-up that utilised a robotic arm to eliminate the need for assembly benches and a length manual process. It also used an ASA-GF material due to its UV and weather resistance. This material was able to satisfy the outdoor environment, working conditions and load considerations, with the material’s low density helping to ensure the structure remained lightweight. The addition of glass fibre reinforcement enhanced the material’s strength and improved the dimensional accuracy of the printed part.
"This gangway exceeded the required ISO standards by over 50%, showcasing the exceptional reliability of additive manufacturing. This milestone represents a significant advance in the industrialisation of 3D printing, enabling mainstream industries to adopt these innovative technological solutions," Namthaja CEO Faisal Alamer told TCT.
Jana Marine, a Saudi marine services company, has become the first organisation to implement the 3D printed marine gangway.
