School pupils visiting Offshore Europe will be given an insight into the impact 3D printing could have on the oil and gas industry thanks to Robert Gordon University (RGU).
Gray’s School of Art 3D design course leader Daniel Sutherland will host a series of practical 3D printing sessions at the Aberdeen City and Shire Pavilion (2C20) on Friday, September 11.
As part of the sessions, pupils will be able to see what the process entails, with Daniel also outlining the potential impact the technology could have on the oil and gas industry.
He said: “This is a great opportunity to show pupils the range of skills that can have applications with in the oil and gas industry.
“At the moment due to the drive in increasing efficiency and reducing cost within the energy sector, a technology like 3D printing is becoming extremely attractive due to the range of benefits it offers.
“Investing in a 3D printer, whether it is at the lower end of the scale or the more sophisticated models which can print with metals as well as plastics, allows companies to be able to quickly design, print and test out different parts that might be required and it opens up a lot of opportunities that don’t exist in traditional manufacturing.”
He added: “The technology is already being employed in other sectors such as Formula 1 and I believe that in the next few years it will be huge in the energy sector.”
The university has also developed a handy Z-card which breaks down the various sectors of the oil and gas industry for pupils, from exploration and production to health and safety, as well as developing a Buzzfeed quiz on some of the more unusual terms found in the sector such as pigging to Christmas trees.
You can see the Z-card and quiz by visiting www.rgu.ac.uk/oilgasguide