Scope 3D-printing will widen

摘要

3D-printing of the entire valve range is still in its infancy but with great potential, says Per Wennersten, managing director of Ramen Valves. "Of course, 3D-print is not suitable to cover all types and sizes yet, both from a technological and/or economical perspective but its scope will definitely widen." For Ramen Valves, 3D-printing and other technologies such as Al/machine learning are key to distinguish itself in a competitive market. Wennersten: "Originally Ramen developed and manufactured BallSector Control Valves and industrial on/off valves solely for the paper and pulp industry in Scandinavia. Gradually the company moved over to other industries such as mining, petrochemicals, oil and gas and so on. Compared to our direct competitors, we are a relatively small outfit. As it's very difficult to compete on price, we need to focus on engineered products and tailor these applications more and more to our customer's demands. With the aforementioned technologies, we are able to operate faster, more flexible and efficient, ultimately leading to a better and cost-effective product compared to the 'old' production paradigm."