How to get ahead of competitors: SIBUR develops additive manufacturing

SIBUR engineer Roman Tikhonov (right) and 3D head of iQB Technologies Ivan Papusha. With the support of our company, programs have been developed for the training of specialists at the SIBUR additive centers.

There are still few specialists like Roman Tikhonov in Russia. Roman heads the center for the introduction of 3D technologies at the Voronezhsintezkauchuk enterprise, which is part of SIBUR Holding, the largest Russian petrochemical company. The company has production branches in more than 20 cities of Russia and is engaged in the production and supply of petrochemical products for the domestic market and 80 foreign countries. A pilot project, recently launched in Voronezh as part of SIBUR’s global digitalization, has already shown excellent results. Roman spoke about specific examples of solving problems using 3D printing and 3D scanning at his enterprise and shared his vision of the prospects for introducing such innovations in Russia.

- Tell us a little about yourself. What brought you to the additive industry?
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- Interest in something new, I guess. I have always been fascinated by innovation. By education I am a microelectronics engineer, I was engaged in information technologies, and it so happened that the next project in which I was involved is connected with additive manufacturing.

I work in “SIBUR” relatively recently, there is still no year. Before that, for about five years he took part in one pilot project on the introduction of additive technologies, and then received an invitation to Voronezhsintezkauchuk.

- How long has SIBUR been introducing 3D technologies? At what stage is the additive center project?

- The company became interested in this topic two years ago. Began to collect information, to work out use cases. The specificity of chemical enterprises is such that most of the equipment is classified as extremely dangerous, and no errors or emergency situations are allowed in principle. They came to the conclusion that it is profitable to apply these technologies in the repair industry. An additive center was created at the Voronezhsintezkauchuk enterprise, a 3D scanner and a 3D printer were purchased, and I was invited to direct it.

We already have working cases that have shown excellent results both in 3D printing of products and in implementation into the production process. We have confirmed in practice that additive technologies allow us to quickly manufacture parts and components and minimize downtime.
After that, it was decided to open such centers in seven more enterprises with repair facilities - where maintenance and repair of equipment is required.

Now there is a purchase of equipment and software, recruitment. For the time being, the emphasis is on 3D plastic printing and 3D scanning for reverse engineering of failed products.

Additive technologists save the main fund of SIBUR due to the fact that a number of tasks are solved on their own

- What competencies should an additive center specialist have? How is the selection and training of personnel?

- Training programs are already there, they are developed with the support of iQB Technologies. First of all, they will be designers with design experience in mechanical engineering. We understand that there are very few specialists in 3D technology in Russia, and, naturally, we will give preference to those who have an idea about 3D printing and 3D scanning. In any case, we will train them. I myself, being a designer, gradually accumulated and improved my knowledge, and then applied them in practice.

- How many employees work in one center?

- At the stage of launching the project - one or two, depending on the territorial situation, the size of the enterprise and the range of tasks. Now I’m the only one doing modeling, scanning and printing. Since there are positive results, a decision has already been made to expand the state. In addition, we cooperate with several organizations involved in 3D printing. They carry out orders for the technologies that we do not yet have.



Conveyor belt bypass roller
With the help of CAD-systems designed 3D-model.
Increased diameter, reinforced mounting holes for bearings (weak points of the original part).
The original was made of steel; using FDM printing with ABS plastic, it was possible to reduce the weight of the product, solve the problem of briquettes stuck on the line and minimize the possibility of damage to the packaging film.

- Can you give an example of successful implementation of 3D printing in the production process?

- It all starts with the popularization. As soon as the people working in the SIBUR production understand what 3D printing is, they begin to wonder how it can be applied. I will tell about the decision implemented on one of such appeals. The conveyor carries a rubber product in briquettes, which are then wrapped in film. Periodically, the briquettes stuck on the bypass metal roller of the conveyor belt, as the bearing housing collapsed due to the constant load. A mechanic approached us - is it possible to make this part from plastic (since metal is long and expensive), and also to increase the diameter to avoid sticking? The task was successfully solved using an FDM printer, everything works fine. Plus, the video itself turned out easy, as it was designed with internal channels.

In the forecasts - the creation of at least one center of additive technologies in each of the 23 enterprises of SIBUR

- How do you calculate the economic effect?

- Precisely, we cannot yet calculate, here, first of all, the effect of speed of execution. But take the case above. In fact, a kilogram of plastic was spent on a roller - it would definitely be more expensive from metal. On an enterprise scale, it is saving in parts per million. But if this briquette on the conveyor has scratched a broken roller, it immediately goes to the marriage. The second time you do not pack it and do not sell. And if you calculate how much is rejected for the year, the losses from this video grow to incredible amounts.

Another example is a centrifugal pump impeller. Such wheels are made, naturally, from stainless steel. But under the action of the pumped fluid, they quickly fail. A 3D model of the impeller was created, then printed on a 3D polyamide printer (SLS technology). Degradation for the month of work was not in principle, in contrast to the stainless steel, which "eats" right before our eyes.



Impeller centrifugal pump
Using a 3D scanner and CAD systems, a 3D model has been designed for alignment of geometric dimensions.
An impeller has been manufactured on the basis of a 3D model using the technology of selective laser sintering (SLS) of polyamide powder. The original is made of stainless steel, there is a strong degradation.

A similar problem, which was solved with the help of 3D printing, was the manufacture of a pump impeller from polyurethane instead of stainless steel; it was also subjected to severe degradation. The new wheel provides the same performance as the original, but due to plastic degradation is completely absent.

- As you can see, printing of finished parts on a 3D printer gives a clear benefit. Do you do prototyping?

- Yes, for example, we worked out one of the variants of the impeller. From ABS plastic, a prototype was printed instead of a completely failed product. The original wheel crumbled in the pump, it was literally assembled in parts, scanned, and performed reverse engineering. Then they printed a prototype and put it into repair production. Why is it more profitable than classical methods? Nobody will remove such an impeller in a single copy. And if we order 20-30 pieces of stainless steel, and it does not fit, it will be a fiasco.



Pump impeller
It is made of polyurethane by vacuum casting with a metal inset insert.
The original is made of stainless steel, there is a strong degradation.

- With the help of additive technologies you solve only single production problems?

- Not only. We supply rubber to leading manufacturers such as Michelin, Pirelli, and one of their requirements is ideal geometry. For this, the line was equipped with an automated optical sensor system to monitor the geometry . Japanese sensors, each worth tens of thousands of rubles. To avoid possible damage, they decided to supply them with protective shells. Right at the enterprise they tried to make metal cases - it comes out expensive, primarily due to labor costs. Contact us in the department, and we printed the first 20 pieces of ABS plastic. The entire line is 200 sensors, the FDM printer prints two housings per shift. Thus, thanks to 3D printing for 100 shifts, the task will be completed.

- An excellent example of small-scale additive production! Do you use only FDM technology?

- Now - yes, while only this equipment is purchased. The main advantages of FDM printers are the availability and a wide range of materials, which are suitable for one or another property.

- Other 3D printing methods are considering?

“We are planning to purchase a stereolithographic 3D printer that prints polyamide. I have already mentioned the creation of finished products made of polyamide - this decision fully satisfied us. There is no talk about 3D printing by metal: in the realities of Russian business today, it can be done either by defense enterprises or by scientific research institutes. Large investments are required, and a lot of time will be spent only on experiments.

With the 3D scanner, the whole process of reverse engineering, up to the start of production, is several times faster

- What are the advantages of a 3D scanner for your company?

- We mainly deal with reverse engineering of imported nodes that have failed. Within the framework of import substitution, we can reproduce the details, the delivery of which is problematic due to long periods, high costs or for other reasons, for example, related to sanctions. As a variant of a real case, with the help of 3D scanning and subsequent reverse design we make driving stars for the conveyor.



Conveyor Belt Gear
Using a 3D scanner and CAD systems, a 3D model was designed to restore the original geometric dimensions.
The test batch was made of ABS plastic using the FDM printing method, and successfully tested.

We also use 3D scanning for reverse engineering of whole parts, which we then manufacture ourselves using the classical method. With the 3D scanner, the whole process, up to the launch into production, occurs several times faster.

- How to convince business leaders, business owners that 3D technologies are effective?

- Proving people the need to introduce 3D technologies is the most difficult. Important is the involvement, initiative of decision makers. For example, we managed to create an additive center in our company thanks largely to the chief engineer Maxim Nikolaevich Lenkov, whose initiative was supported by top management.

I have been working for the company for nine months, and we started actively introducing additive technologies more than six months ago. As already said, we are not yet ready to consider the economic effect. But the examples cited above save the main fund due to the fact that a number of problems are solved on their own. A pump spacer was printed on the 3D printer. In the event of breakdown of the main and backup pump, you can recoup this pump five times. Such examples can not convince.



Spacer coupling
The starting material is polyurethane. The original product has undergone almost complete mechanical deformation. The creation of a 3D model was carried out according to the response parts of the mechanism. A prototype for testing, including geometric deviations, was made of ABS plastic using the FDM method.

At the same time, there is an understanding: if 3D technologies are successfully introduced, it means that they need to be mastered or at least be aware of innovations. Manufacturers who develop new competencies in this direction will not share them. They will move to a new level, and who did not have time to restructure, he will be uncompetitive.

- How do you assess the prospects for the development of 3D technologies in Russia in the coming years?

- Let's start with SIBUR. I think that in 2019 pilot projects of additive centers at enterprises will show efficiency, and in the forecasts - the creation of at least one such center at each of the 23 enterprises.

If we talk about Russia as a whole, everything is difficult. Until there are regulations, the situation will not change radically. Now decisions on the introduction of additive technologies are made at the level of managers of individual enterprises. As soon as the issue with regulatory legislation is resolved, I am sure that there will be a sharp jump. Mass development will begin, as it will be possible to commission certified products freely.

We are 5–7 years behind the developed countries in additive production. We are lagging behind both financially and in terms of introducing technologies into the production process. As long as we are not aware of the need for 3D technologies and do not break stereotypes, there will not be mass adoption. SIBUR is a positive example, and I am sure other companies will learn from our experience. They will see what we have achieved and will ask themselves a question - why not try it at home?