A small 3-D printed component is making a significant impact beneath the hull of a Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) carrier, thanks to London-based additive manufacturing specialist
3D People. The part is central to Armada Technologies’ Passive Air Lubrication System (PALS), a breakthrough designed to reduce the environmental impact of global shipping.
Liverpool-based
Armada Technologies developed PALS to cut fuel consumption and emissions by releasing ‘micro bubbles’ beneath a ship’s hull, creating an aerated layer that reduces drag. Unlike conventional systems that rely on energy-intensive compressors, Armada’s design uses the vessel’s own forward motion to draw air through a proprietary venturi ejector. Manufacturing that ejector, however — a precision component exposed to extreme pressures, corrosive seawater, and continuous flow — posed a major challenge.
Traditional methods could not deliver the required internal geometry, surface uniformity, or durability. Industrial additive manufacturing offered the ideal solution, and Armada sought a partner with both technical capability and engineering insight.
Roger Armson, chief operating officer at Armada Technologies, said: “3D People stood out immediately. They understood the complexity of the part, grasped our technical needs quickly, and delivered prototypes that met our stringent functional and compliance requirements.”
Operate flawlesslyUsing PA12 Nylon for its strength and marine resilience, 3D People produced the components via selective laser sintering (SLS) and applied vapour smoothing to optimise fluid interaction. Over four production batches, every part met Armada’s tight timeline and quality standards. Eight months after installation, the components continue to operate flawlessly.
Sasha Bruml, co-founder of 3D People, said: “We love projects where additive manufacturing is not just convenient, it is transformative. Working with Armada shows how AM can unlock sustainable engineering solutions that simply would not be possible any other way.”
Felix Manley, co-founder of 3D People, added: “This is exactly where 3D People excels — complex parts for demanding environments, and customers who value engineering collaboration. Our role is not just to print parts, but to help solve problems.”
As industries push toward cleaner, more efficient technologies, the collaboration demonstrates how agile, production-grade 3-D printing can accelerate innovation in harsh operating environments.
Ms Bruml concluded: “As sustainable technologies scale and engineering challenges become more complex, partnerships like this show why additive manufacturing is now integral to modern industrial problem-solving. 3D People has spent years building the expertise, precision, and reliability that projects like Armada’s demand, and we will continue to be the partner innovators turn to when performance truly matters.”