| Abstract Scope |
Aluminum is an indispensable material in the offshore sector, valued for its unique combination of properties that make it ideal for diverse applications, such as high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and recyclability. In this sector, it is commonly used in housings for sensors, control systems, and other components.
The advent of Additive Manufacturing, combined with reverse engineering techniques, enables the on-demand production of commercially unavailable replacement parts in a customized way, increasing cost efficiency and sustainability in the oil, gas, and biofuel industry by reducing lead time.
Therefore, this work aims to demonstrate the applicability of Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) through a case study developed for the replacement of a water intake pump rotor manufactured from an aluminum-magnesium alloy.
Through a reverse engineering process, which included 3D scanning of a similar unit available on-site and its modeling using Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) techniques, an appropriate methodology was established for the printing, joining, and post-processing stages. This made it possible to obtain a component with 97.8% similarity to its digital twin, proving the applicability of WAAM in the manufacture of obsolete components and replacement parts. |