en.Wedoany.com Reported - ExxonMobil has adopted Meltio's laser metal deposition (LMD) technology to manufacture critical titanium alloy components at its Baton Rouge, Louisiana refinery, successfully reducing unit costs by 42% and dramatically shortening production lead times from 4 to 6 weeks to 58.8 hours.
The oil and gas industry demands extremely high equipment reliability. At ExxonMobil's Baton Rouge refinery, protecting critical system panels from fluid contamination became a top priority. This case study details how the plant transitioned from traditional subtractive manufacturing to Meltio's LMD technology, specifically utilizing the Meltio M600 system, an industrial directed energy deposition (DED) technology.
The case also reveals that titanium was not initially considered by ExxonMobil for its manufacturing operations. However, with Meltio technology, the plant discovered that titanium not only became a viable solution but also proved cost-effective without compromising part quality or performance.
The final solution stemmed from a redesign of the protective mechanical anti-siphon device. This enabled the engineering team to achieve structural improvements and significant cost savings. The plant stated that before adopting wire DED technology, they had never considered using titanium parts due to its high cost; but after switching to Meltio technology, they found it to be quite affordable.
During the bottleneck identification phase, the existing anti-siphon device, designed to prevent oil from siphoning along thermocouple wires into the instrument cabinet, had significant limitations in its design and operation. Subsequently, the engineering team decided to switch to Titanium 64 material to overcome metallurgical and thermal constraints. Compared to the original material, Titanium 64 is lighter and cheaper, and this material has been parameterized for Meltio technology. However, adapting these heavy components for additive manufacturing also presented challenges, including the stringent inert environment required for Titanium 64 (requiring approximately one and a half hours of machine time to remove oxygen), thermal constraints requiring at least 7 minutes of cooling time per layer to avoid overheating, and issues such as surface oxidation, excessive material buildup, and physical displacement during the deposition process.
In strategically adopting additive manufacturing, the engineering team used the Meltio M600 system to completely redesign the components for three-axis printing. By depositing SS-316Lsi onto SS304 substrates, they manufactured custom fixtures, enabling simultaneous batch production of four parts. This increased inter-layer dwell time and eliminated surface oxidation issues. The main body was redesigned with a 75-degree overhang limit and printed using a non-planar method. Utilizing the M600's probing function, the machine performed Z-axis touch probing at the lowest substrate point, depositing features directly onto curved surfaces. The cover was also redesigned to include a hollow perimeter specifically for accommodating silicone sealant. Through parameter optimization, laser power and print speed were significantly reduced in specific local areas, successfully mitigating excessive material growth. To prevent table displacement during non-extrusion travel movements, robust mechanical clamps were added on both sides of the fixture.
Quantifying the impact, the transition to the Meltio LMD process yielded decisive operational advantages. The unit cost for the entire assembly was reduced by 42%, and the production lead time was dramatically shortened from an estimated 4 to 6 weeks to a precise 58.8 hours.
This case validates LMD as a future direction for component manufacturing in the oil and gas industry. Replacing CNC machining with LMD technology for manufacturing Titanium 64 components achieved rigorous geometric optimization and tangible financial returns. By addressing specific thermal behaviors and employing intelligent batch fixturing, ExxonMobil's Baton Rouge refinery successfully modernized a critical protective device. The 42% reduction in unit cost confirms LMD as a highly competitive manufacturing solution for the demanding environments of the oil and gas industry. The plant stated that moving away from traditional machining has fundamentally changed production costs, proving that additive manufacturing delivers real financial value for the oil and gas sector.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
