Over the past 10 years the pump manufacturer KSB has built expertise in additive manufacturing using metal-based powder bed fusion (PBF) at its site in Pegnitz, Germany, where it operates four systems for this type of additive manufacturing. In the Additive Manufacturing Center specialists work with materials such as stainless steel, nickel-base alloys and other iron-based metal powders.
One of the systems was awarded the "Qualification of Manufacturer" certificate to DNV-SE-0568 and DNV-ST-B203 at Level AMC 3 for the impeller part family. All of KSB’s other additive manufacturing facilities have been approved as Level AMC 1 for all part families. With this certification, supplying spare parts quickly – especially to plant operators in the oil and gas industry and the power station sector – will be an option in the future.
Using additive manufacturing to produce new and spare parts creates opportunities for operators to order spare parts "on demand" and reduce their spare parts stock, particularly for upstream, midstream and downstream applications of the oil and gas industry.
