NYP's Additive Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC),in collaboration with ST Engineering Aerospace and funded by the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Cluster (NAMIC), achieved a Singapore first. With no validated laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process for SS254 previously demonstrated locally and global capability in this space still limited, the team developed and validated a process for printing SS254 to the mechanical performance standards demanded by subsea and offshore applications.

Featured in a NAMIC press release in October 2025, the project is now progressing from laboratory proof to commercial deployment through part qualification frameworks, scaled production trials, and field validation with end-users. For industry partners in maritime, oil & gas, and aerospace, this is a clear signal that NYP's AMIC is equipped and ready to co-develop additive manufacturing solutions that meet the performance standards your operations demand.

The Business Challenge

In marine and offshore environments, components must withstand saltwater corrosion, temperatures from below -50 degrees Celsius to above 250 degrees Celsius, and intense mechanical stress, of which SS254 is the material of choice, as a more economical alternative to nickel and titanium alloys.

Traditional manufacturing of SS254 requires rigorous cold-working to achieve tensile strength above 800 MPa, comes with large minimum order quantities, and introduces batch-to-batch variability. For supply chains operating under EN 10204 Type 3.2 material certification, the highest standard of independent material traceability, that variability means delays, rejections, and financial risk.

The Solution

From December 2024 to June 2025, NYP's AMIC partnered with ST Engineering Aerospace's Advanced Manufacturing Design Centre to develop and demonstrate a complete 3D printing process for SS254. The project was funded by NAMIC, with co-funding from ST Engineering Aerospace and in-kind contributions from both institutions.

The NYP project team, comprising Master Specialist Zaw Hlwan Moe, Senior Development Engineer Vincent Lek, and Lecturer Rayson Tay, worked alongside STEA engineers Dr Zheng Guoying, Dr Zhang Yongjie, and Nguyen Trong Hieu on an EOS M290 LPBF system. 

The project addressed three integrated areas:

• Process parameters: evaluating over five parameter settings, including scanning speed and minimum layer time, to identify the optimal window for mechanical performance and geometry accuracy
• Design strategies: developing print orientations and support configurations suited to SS254's thermal and geometric behaviour.
• Post-printing processing: applying novel post-build strategies to consolidate microstructure and meet dimensional accuracy requirements

Each build incorporated benchmark specimens alongside Design of Experiment variants, enabling systematic analysis of how individual parameters affect part quality, geometry stability, and mechanical performance. Final-Year Project (FYP) students from Diploma in Advanced & Digital Manufacturing also contributed to the experimental programme as part of their FYP requirements.

Outcomes and Impact

The project delivered results with clear industrial viability:

•  Yield strength achieved: 600 MPa and above
• Tensile strength achieved: 800 MPa and above, meeting benchmarks under API 6A/6D, API 5CRA, API 17F/17D, and ISO 3506-1
•  Warpage successfully mitigated through DOE-informed parameter selection
• Intellectual property filed as Technical Disclosure NYP-ID00525 between STEA and NYP, available for future commercial and customer engagements
• Commercial interest received from maritime and oil & gas customers to adopt SS254 3D printing as a service

The findings establish a practical foundation for AM adoption in mission-critical applications, including subsea structures, ship components, and oilfield equipment. They also support the development of digital part inventories and on-demand manufacturing strategies, reducing industry dependence on large-batch traditional procurement.