HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, a subsidiary of HD Hyundai, has announced the successful evaluation and demonstration of its "3D Printing Convergence Demonstration Technology".

It is also known as 3D Printing Digital Workshop for self-manufacturing maintenance parts on operating ships, reports St Petersburg's PortNews.

The demonstration occurred at HD Hyundai Samho in Mokpo. Initiated in 2023 with support from the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the project involves a consortium including Ulsan Metropolitan City, CSCAM, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, HMM, and Korea Register of Shipping (KR).

Scheduled for completion by December 2025, the project aims to develop a 3D printing system for producing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) parts on ships.

The technology enables vessels to produce necessary parts onboard, reducing the need for extensive spare part inventories and shortening ordering, production, and delivery timelines. Heavy Industries operated 3D printing equipment on an actual ship and tested devices to reduce movement and vibration, addressing challenges posed by continuous ship motion.

The company plans to commercialise the technology, creating a digital parts library and networking system between ports and ships for remote ordering.