KR granted Approval of Manufacturing Process for a steel casting made using a 3D printed mold on 17 January. 

The approval proves that the product is manufactured in accordance with existing regulations. Examination and approval testing involves the manufacturing process, quality control, and the final product, with the unified quality of the product as a precondition.

In order to develop the 3D printing business in the shipbuilding and maritime industry, a business agreement with Ulsan Metropolitan City and other stakeholders was signed in February 2022. A consortium was formed after the agreement between Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), SFS, a 3D printing company, and Hankook Steel, a steelmaker, playing a vital role in developing the product. 

This is KR’s first approval of the manufacturing process for a steel casting developed using 3D printing technology. HHI plans to demonstrate the product and place an order in the future.

The developed casting was made by 3D printing molded sand to create a mold and then pouring liquid metal into the mold without making a model. With the newly approved process, modeling can be eliminated among existing manufacturing methods, resulting in a 30% reduction in production cost as well as a 50% reduction in production time. With its excellent surface roughness and precision, surface quality improvement in the product is expected as well.

A KR official said: "At a critical time when 3D printing technology convergence is increasing in the industry, we are delighted to be the first to certify a product developed by 3D printing technology. We will strive to provide customized technical support as a reliable technical partner.”