First WAAMpeller prototype completed at RAMLAB, Port of Rotterdam
The first prototype of the world’s first certified hybrid manufactured ship propeller has been completed at the Port of Rotterdam’s RAMLAB facility.
The result of a consortium of companies including Damen Shipyards Group, RAMLAB, Promarin, Autodesk and Bureau Veritas, the triple-blade “WAAMpeller” is a 1,350mm diameter propeller and was manufactured in Nickel Aluminium Bronze (NAB) using Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM). The technology uses a Valk welding system with Autodesk software and will be CNC milled at Autodesk’s Advanced Manufacturing Facility in Birmingham.
The part has undergone extensive material properties testing to ensure compliance with Bureau Veritas standards. This involved 3D printing two walls of material which were then milled to produce samples for testing of tensile and static strengths.
“Material characterisation and mechanical testing have been an important part of this project,” Wei Ya, Postdoctoral Researcher from the University of Twente at RAMLAB explained. “We have to make sure that the material properties meet the needs of the application. Material toughness, for example – ensuring that the propeller is able to absorb significant impact without damage.”
“But we have also been working towards optimising the production strategy for 3D metal deposition. This includes bead shape and width, as well as how fast we can deposit the printed material.”
The propeller represents the first steps in the adoption of AM in the maritime industry which could see large components manufactured on-demand and on-site in the future, reducing lengthy lead times and costs.
“For large scale 3D metal deposition, the WAAMpeller is really ground-breaking for the maritime industry,” Ya added. “This technology is a fundamental change in the concept of how we make things. With additive manufacturing, you can print most metallic components that are needed in principle. There is so much potential for the future – these techniques will have a big impact on the supply chain.”
This first prototype WAAMpeller will be used for display purposes, and planning for a second sea-worthy prototype is already underway. Production will begin next month and the component will eventually be installed on a real vessel to collect data later this year.
