Evaluation of Additive Manufacturing Feasibility in the Energy Sector: A Case Study of a Gas-Insulated High-Voltage Switchgear

In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) has made considerable progress and has spread in many industries. Despite the advantages of this technology including freedom of design, lead time reduction, material waste reduction, special tools manufacturing elimination, and sustainability, there are still a lot of challenges regarding finding the beneficial application. In this study, the feasibility of replacing traditional manufacturing methods with additive manufacturing in the energy sector is investigated, with a specific focus on gas-insulated high-voltage switchgear (GIS). All aluminum parts in one specific GIS product are analyzed and a decision flowchart is proposed. Using this flowchart, printability and the best AM technique are suggested with respect to part size, required surface roughness, requirements of electrical and mechanical properties, and additional post processes. Simple to medium complexity level of geometry, large size, high requirements for electrical and mechanical properties, threading and sealing, and lack of a standard for printed parts in the high voltage industry make AM a challenging manufacturing technology for this specific product. In total, implementing AM as a short series production method for GIS aluminum parts may not be sufficient because of the higher cost and more complex supply chain management, but it can be beneficial in R&D cases or prototyping scenarios where a limited number of parts are needed in a brief time limit.