Creating an underwater structure for people to live and work in comes with engineering and manufacturing challenges.
But these are challenges that DEEP has embraced on its journey to deploying its pilot subsea human habitat, Vanguard.
Underwater human habitats require large and complex metal component parts. For example, the main living chamber of a habitat is a ‘pressure vessel for human occupancy’ – typically a large diameter cylinder built to withstand the increased pressured under the ocean.
Traditional methods of manufacturing metal component parts, such as forging (where steel is heated and pressed, rolled, and hammered into shape) and casting (where liquid metal is poured into a mold), are effective but have limitations.
Given the scale of DEEP’s ambitions, it was recognized that traditional manufacturing techniques suffered from inefficiencies, particularly in relation to lead times, design complexity and material waste.
Modern subsea human habitats called for modern manufacturing technology. This led us to a significant investment in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM), people, and processes, culminating in the launch of DEEP Manufacturing.
Vanguard, DEEP’s pilot subsea human habitat
What is Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing?
Traditional manufacturing is ‘subtractive’. You take a solid metal block and remove material from it. For certain applications, it can be time consuming and create material waste.
WAAM is ‘additive’. You build metal component parts layer by layer using an electric robot arc to melt wire feedstock, printing a designed part precisely. This technology allows us to produce large and complex designed components with excellent material properties rapidly and to a high quality, while minimising material waste.
Each of our WAAM systems consists of a single robotic arm which can print volumes up to 2.8 by 3.2 meters. And by combining these systems in different configurations, DEEP Manufacturing can print ultra large components and complex shapes.
DEEP Manufacturing’s HexBot is a six-arm configuration of WAAM systems. The arms work together in synchronisation, to manufacture metal parts up to 6.2 meters diameter and 3 meters in height – a world first for additive manufacturing.
While these capabilities were initially developed to meet the needs of DEEP, it quickly became clear that they have far wider industry applications. DEEP Manufacturing is now supporting external clients across offshore, maritime, energy, and aviation sectors – industries where the demand for fast, large-scale, and complex metal components is strong. With access to 20 individual robotic arms, DEEP Manufacturing has one of the largest single instances of WAAM systems across the globe. Combined with our engineering knowledge and the expertise we have gained through our current build programme, this puts us in a unique position to offer our services to the market.
DEEP Manufacturing’s HexBot in action
How is DEEP Manufacturing supporting DEEP?
DEEP Manufacturing is currently printing the Multi-Purpose Module for use in the deployment of Vanguard.
This ancillary structure will be attached to or near Vanguard, allowing the occupants of the subsea habitat to transfer to the module in the event of an emergency.
Once complete, it will be the first additively manufactured pressure vessel for human occupancy and follows the Approval in Principle awarded to DEEP Manufacturing by DNV, a leading classification society.
A single DED-Arc WAAM robot and manipulator table at DEEP Manufacturing’s facility
How to reach an expert at DEEP Manufacturing
If you’d like more information about DEEP Manufacturing or to speak with a member of the team, get in touch here.