Baker Hughes has teamed up with software provider Oqton to work on 3D printing throughout its manufacturing work flow.
Baker Hughes said it plans to integrate Oqton’s Manufacturing OS in its additive manufacturing processes. Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is the process of constructing an object by adding layer upon layer of material.
The software will be offered under the Oqton brand and is expected to provide full factory-floor work flow integration, automation, control, and optimization from part design through final inspection.
“We believe that manufacturing is going through its most significant phase of disruption since the first industrial revolution,” said Ben Schrauwen, senior vice president and general manager at Oqton. “Our mission is to accelerate making autonomous manufacturing accessible to companies of all sizes, enabling the continuous flexibility and adaptability of manufacturing processes.”
The integration of Manufacturing OS into Baker Hughes’ additive manufacturing is expected to enable the companies to create an enhanced additive manufacturing platform for the energy industry as well as other highly regulated industries such as aerospace and health care, Baker Hughes said in a news release.
As part of the development partnership, Baker Hughes is integrating Oqton’s Manufacturing OS into its work flow, including its own proprietary additive manufacturing developed for vertical applications over the past decade. The companies said they hope that combining Oqton’s autonomous approach to manufacturing with Baker Hughes’ experience in the development and introduction of production processes into highly regulated industrial environments will allow them to create an enhanced additive manufacturing platform for the energy industry. This is intended to serve as the foundation for the companies to develop additional applications and plug-ins that will become part of the Oqton Manufacturing OS and open new markets in additional regulated industries with demanding end-use applications such as aerospace and health care.
“Through this collaboration, we see the potential to make a significant leap forward in enhancing our Manufacturing OS by leveraging the expertise of Baker Hughes’ engineering team to accelerate the manufacturing work flow and facilitate regulatory compliance,” Schrauwen said.