Additive Manufacturing Applied to Maintenance Management

When an organization decides to still use assets with many years of operation, for example ships or equipment’s, some challenges in supply chain of spare parts and systems preservation may become high level of challenge, not only because it isn´t available, but also the access to components if ships are on sea. In the area of spare parts nowadays we have available 3D printers that enhance autonomous capacity and rapid responses to some anomaly on equipment´s. Even if it is resolved for a short-limited time, for a ship on sea, it may mean it can navigate safely to a shore and make a permanent repair restoring ship full performance. This article aims to explore the state of art of 3D metal printers, and the defects after printing spare part. Evaluating the development of technology and implementation on maintenance in industry and in ships, making an analysis and comparative study. By this research it is intended to analyze the appliance of this technology to components of electro-pumps that are implemented on ships.