3D Printing in the Energy Industry
Looking for the best 3D printing candidates in the energy industry? Alexander Daniels Global can help. This article will explore how 3D printing is used in the energy industry while explaining how easily you can recruit for your 3D printing team.
How is 3D printing used in the energy industry?
While 3D printing may be in its infancy in the construction industry, it’s technology has long been used elsewhere such as in the aerospace industry.
As for the energy sector? 3D printing has revolutionized the energy industry with all major energy companies now utilizing additive manufacturing in both renewable, nuclear and non-renewable energy production.
3D Printing in Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is at the top of the agenda for many government authorities worldwide. However, the cost of renewable energy is something that has been immensely challenging. 3D printing has been able to revolutionize renewable energy in terms of both cost and time-saving, in particular within Wind and Solar energy:
Solar Energy
Solar energy works by capturing the sun’s energy and converting it into electric energy. The material that conducts electricity in solar panels is photovoltaic in nature, meaning that it creates energy from light. Photovoltaic materials in use today are:
- silicon (monocrystalline, polycrystalline or amorphous)
- gallium arsenide
- metal chalcogenides
- organometallics.
In 3D printing, however, the photovoltaic material is printed from perovskite which is far cheaper than alternatives such as glass and polysilicon.
Perovskite also has a much higher power efficiency than solar panels made from other materials. This means that creating solar panels through additive manufacturing results in huge savings on materials and has an added bonus of increased energy output.
Wind Energy
For wind energy, electricity is created by harnessing wind power to turn the blades of the wind turbine, which in turn, spins a generator creating electricity.
Currently, the majority of wind turbine blades are made from fiberglass, however, there have been developments in 3D printing meaning that blades can be printed from resins.
Other elements from wind turbines that can be 3D printed include the heavy bases of the turbine, these can be printed on-site from concrete, saving money on transportation of materials to the wind farm.
3D Printing in Nuclear Energy
Components used in the nuclear energy sector need to be robust and reliable in order to meet strict safety requirements. The production of spare parts in the nuclear industry has made it easier for nuclear plants to reach their carbon zero goals as the parts can be produced directly from 3D models to actual parts as and when they are needed.
One of the advantages of using additive manufacturing to make spare parts in the nuclear industry is that the parts are usually small and intricate and they can be printed accurately through 3D printing.
3D Printing in the Oil and Gas Industry
3D printing has revolutionized the oil and gas industry as it allows companies to manufacture spare parts more efficiently, only printing the quantity that is needed and reducing waste in the process.
With 3D printing, we are also able to produce prototypes much more rapidly resulting in higher levels of innovation and shortened lead times.
Working with 3D printing in the energy industry
Here at Alexander Daniels Global, we conduct direct sourcing through targeted headhunting to access inactive candidates, alongside our database and extensive network of active candidates. To put it simply, your 3D recruitment needs can be seamlessly handled by our specialist team – putting the right candidates in front of you when you need them most.
Alternatively, if you’re working in the energy industry and looking to make a move into 3D printing in energy get in touch or browse our career portal to apply for our varied open job vacancies.
If you’re looking for work purely in the Energy sector, you can also check out the jobs listed with our sister company: AD Energy Recruitment
For more information about how we can help, contact our team of expert recruiters today. We also have a wealth of HR resources, such as our annual salary survey, to help you stay on top of hiring trends.
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!