John Zink Hamworthy Combustion eliminates the need for hard tooling with Desktop Metal Studio System

The system is dropping our prototyping costs and turn times down to a point where we can really let our engineers loose to experiment and find truly innovative solutions to our customers’ problems.Jason Harjo, Design Manager at John Zink Hamworthy Combustion

The global authority for emissions control and clean-air combustion systems, John Zink Hamworthy Combustion, has eliminated the need for hard tooling with the use of the Studio System from Desktop Metal.

From data collected from over 1000 customer benchmarks by Desktop Metal, 45% of them are using the Studio System for functional prototyping. Metal 3D printing allows engineers to test not just form and fit but also function. Functional prototyping is crucial as parts have to adhere to specific thermal and chemical requirements before deployment.

Producing prototypes in the same materials needed for mass production is also critical in shortening product development cycles, which is typical for manufacturing technologies such as CNC machining or casting.

The UHT Atomizer Fuel Nozzle is a good example of functional prototyping using the Studio System. The atomizer is typically installed in a combustion engine used on steam propulsion boilers on LNG tankers to atomize steam or air. The objective here was to improve low load burner performance, thus allowing it to run on a lower fuel oil throughput, saving operational costs when the vessel is maneuvering in port.

Unlike many of the parts that the company designs and manufactures, this fuel nozzle can only be fabricated using additive manufacturing.

Printed with the Studio System using 316L, the nozzle was radically redesigned to function in a more fuel-efficient manner than those produced through traditional metalworking means.

It is a total mindset shift for our engineers. It’s opening up new ways to think about design, and seeing these incredible ideas come forward as our mental models shift around what’s physically possible is really rewarding to see.Jason Harjo, Design Manager at John Zink Hamworthy Combustion

Discover more about Desktop Metal Studio System low volume production capabilities for heavy industries. You can also drop any inquiries via the contact form, email info@creatz3d.com, or call +65 6631 8555.

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