GE Aviation’s LEAP engine was, in some ways, hailed as a proof-of-concept for how 3D printing could be used in mainstream manufacturing. Playing off the success of the engine’s 3D printed metal fuel nozzles, another GE division, GE Oil & Gas, will be using the technology to additively manufacture another sort of metal fuel nozzle for its gas turbines. The pilot program will begin during the second half of this year, perhaps signalling that the technology is just about ready for prime time. In other words, just when the company was receiving props for cutting CO2 emissions by 15% with their fuel efficient LEAP nozzles, they’ve decided to use 3D printing to increase the greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Oh, the irony!
Meant to feed combustion in a gas turbine, the division’s current fuel nozzles are comprised of a number of smaller parts welded together. New 3D printed models would simplify the process, allowing the company to manufacture their nozzles as single, intricate pieces. Chief Technology Officer of GE’s Oil & Gas division, Eric Gebhardt, told Reuters that, after the launch of the pilot program this year, the company would move into full production in 2015. Reuters points out that such “advanced manufacturing [techniques] are increasingly vital in the oil and gas sector as companies move into extreme environments such as ultra deep-water or the Arctic.” My thought is: with all of the obstacles to overcome in Arctic drilling — freezing temperatures, remote condition, hostile climate[1] — in addition to all of the negative effects that Arctic drilling and fossil fuels have on our ecosystem, wouldn’t it be easier to just focus on making a killing in the sustainable energy market?
The division is investing $100 million into technology development over the next two years, with a “significant portion” invested in 3D printing. Oil & Gas already has a number of plastic and metal printers in use, mainly for prototyping. A part that may have taken 12 weeks to produce now only takes 12 hours, using 3D printers stationed at the division’s Newcastle pipeline inspection plant. GE engineer David Bell explained that: “[3D printing is] a game changer. Engineering is all about compromise and this allows you to trial concepts quickly and cheaply.”
Complementing the 3D printed fuel nozzles, the division is considering using the technology to create electric submersible pumps to force oil to the surface in an oil well. The division’s CTO says: “Most of these are about four or five inches in diameter and then about an inch or two in height. It’s the right size to put into some of the additive manufacturing.” Gerhard, however, is hoping that the machines will be able to have larger build volumes for more diverse purposes, saying: “Now we’re going to have to see how large they can get over time. Will it follow Moore’s law where it is going to double in size every 18 months? That’s kind of what we’re seeing right now. But when is it going to reach a natural inflection point? That’s something we have to work through.”
Source: Reuters
[1] As well as the near impossibility of cleaning up an Arctic oil spill.
