Specialists from "Tomskneftekhim", a subsidiary of the "Sibur" holding, have manufactured the largest 3D-printed part in the company's history. Using a 3D printer, they created a sand separator weighing 35 kg and measuring 600×1500 mm. This product was developed for the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (AGCC), where it has already been installed and put into operation.
The main advantage of 3D printing is the ability to quickly produce single and non-standard parts without complex equipment adjustments. This not only reduces costs and shortens repair times, but also increases the reliability of technological processes.
The sand separator is designed to clean surface runoff from sand, silt, and contaminants that can reduce the efficiency of treatment facilities. The product was printed according to the customer's model, but its design was refined by the company's experts during the work process. To optimize production, standard 2.5 kg plastic spools were replaced with eight-kilogram spools to avoid frequent printer stops. Printing individual fragments lasted up to two weeks.
When 3D printing, it is important to consider the operating conditions of the part. For products subject to vibration, impact-resistant polymers are chosen, and for operation in an aggressive environment, chemically resistant materials are used. The correct placement of the workpiece, layer thickness, and interlayer adhesion are also important. Thanks to these fine adjustments, 3D printing is already becoming a full-fledged alternative to traditional manufacturing and may become as common a tool in industrial enterprises as machine tools in the future.
In addition to unique parts, the "Sibur" 3D printing laboratory regularly manufactures cooling impellers for electric motors, protective casings, and housings for instrumentation.
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