As the Oil & Gas industry faces increasing demands for efficiency, resilience, and sustainability, additive manufacturing (AM) is rapidly moving from the margins to the mainstream. Once viewed primarily as a prototyping tool, metal AM has now matured into a powerful production solution—especially in the qualification of critical components where performance, traceability, and compliance are non-negotiable.

Fabrizio Ragusa, Global Business Development Director Energy at Nikon SLM Solutions, will share his insights at the upcoming AM Energy event, where he will present on Opportunities, Challenges, and Trends in the Adoption of AM for the Qualification of O&G Components. His presentation will draw on Nikon SLM Solutions’ extensive experience supporting parts manufacturers and OEMs operating at the forefront of the energy and aerospace industries.

Why Qualification Matters More Than Ever

In industries like Oil & Gas, qualifying a component means much more than simply proving it works—it requires meeting a complex matrix of material standards, regulatory requirements, and often decades-old legacy system compatibility. That’s where AM adds extraordinary value.

With the design freedom offered by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), engineers can now manufacture geometries that were previously impossible. Complex internal channels, weight-reduced structures, or components tailored to extreme environmental conditions can now be manufactured—and crucially, qualified—faster and with fewer steps.

But with innovation comes complexity. Material behavior in AM is inherently different from traditional processes. Microstructure, surface quality, and mechanical properties can vary based on build parameters. This makes establishing a reliable qualification framework critical to adoption.

From Problem Identification to Qualified Part

The pathway to AM qualification begins not with the part, but with the problem. In many successful implementations, it starts with an engineering bottleneck—a legacy component with recurring failures, long lead times, or obsolescence risk. AM becomes the solution not just for form and function, but for building long-term supply resilience.

Fabrizio’s presentation will outline a strategic framework: from identifying a problem best solved by AM, to building an ecosystem around that part—encompassing design, production, post-processing, inspection, and certification. Critically, he will highlight how collaboration between OEMs, materials experts, software providers, and AM machine manufacturers is essential to success.

Bridging the Gaps: Technical and Organizational Hurdles

The road to qualification is not a straight one. Key hurdles include:

• Material standards: There’s a limited set of AM-specific standards in Oil & Gas, and adopting AM often means working with certifying bodies to define the path forward.

• Certification: Internal and external qualification processes are often time- and resource-intensive, requiring robust data, traceability, and repeatability.

• Workflow integration: AM needs to align with existing ERP, QA, and manufacturing systems—requiring change management and upskilling across teams.

Despite these challenges, companies who make the investment are seeing clear returns—shorter lead times, extended part life, reduced inventory costs, and enhanced design innovation.

Looking Ahead: Practical Recommendations

To succeed, companies must view AM not as a siloed innovation but as a cross-functional capability. From engineering to procurement, from compliance to quality assurance, buy-in across the organization is key.

At Nikon SLM Solutions, we support our partners with proven industrial AM systems—like the
NXG XII 600 and SLM®500—backed by deep application knowledge and a collaborative approach to qualification. Whether you’re exploring your first production part or scaling across multiple platforms, we’re ready to help you move from possibility to performance.

To learn more or discuss how AM can support your component qualification strategy, contact Fabrizio Ragusa.