AM is seen as the next industrial revolution for manufacturing, and Lloyd’s Register, in conjunction with engineering research and technology firm TWI, believes their guidelines might be an important step in the commercialization of AM.

Several industries have already been integrating AM into their manufacturing process. Rolls-Royce has been exploring AM technology for over half a decade, mainly for component manufacture and repair. The benefits according to Derek Jones from Rolls-Royce’s Research and Technology programme are massive. “Shortening the manufacturing time by almost a third gives us more time to design, which is always a benefit.”

The positives aren’t limited to just the automotive industry. Sectors as varied as pharmaceuticals and aerospace are also looking into using AM in their day to day business.

The oil and gas sector especially, where cost savings and efficiency gains are crucial in remaining ahead of the curve and restoring investor confidence could see the increased usage of AM components.

Roger Fairclough, Principal Project Leader at TWI, is hopeful that their collaboration with Lloyd’s Register will be a gamechanger, stating “This joint industry project between Lloyd’s Register and TWI will bridge the gap for the project participants and enable them to bring AM parts quickly and safely into the industrial marketplace.”