Two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) for Additive Manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, were signed at the 6th Global AM Summit held on 17 and 18 October 2018 at the Changi Exposition Centre in Singapore. The two MoUs are an MoU with PSA, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC) and 3D MetalForge to establish the world’s first on-site AM production facility for port applications; and an MoU with NAMIC and the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) to collaborate on an AM Joint Industry Programme (JIP) for marine parts.

The Additive Manufacturing rapid production facility will be strategically located at our Pasir Panjang Terminal in Singapore, where PSA is testing port technologies for current and future terminals. It will feature state-of-the-art printers capable of producing parts for port equipment. The facility will also use a specialised maritime digital cloud supported by Blockchain technology for more secure file transfers.

The facility’s location also leverages PSA’s parts supplier base and facility operations to support just-in-time inventory. This move towards digitised inventories reduces the need to hold excess inventory, which lowers storage costs, while shortening turnaround time from weeks to days due to improved availability of spare parts. In the long run, PSA will expand the scope of these services to the wider maritime industry, including ship owners, to help build its business adjacencies.

For more information, please click HERE for the press release.