DNV unveils new edition of 3D printing standard to cut cost and CO2

New edition of DNV-ST-B203 lowers barriers to adoption of additive manufacturing, supports sustainability goals

DNV has announced a major update to its flagship standard for additive manufacturing (AM), DNV-ST-B203. This new edition, a key outcome of the ProGRAM joint industry project (JIP), extends the standard to polymer parts and introduces critical enhancements in design, sustainability, and qualification to accelerate the secure and sustainable adoption of 3D printing across the energy and maritime sectors. 

As one of the two globally recognized AM standards for the energy industry, this update solidifies DNV's commitment to making the technology more practical, cost-effective, and future-proof for industrial applications.  

“With global competition in AM standards, it is crucial to provide a robust, practical framework that builds trust and scalability for this transformative technology,” said Dr. Sastry Kandukuri, Global practice lead for additive manufacturing at DNV. “This edition directly addresses industry needs with practical design rules and clear CO2 footprint metrics, empowering our customers to adopt AM with greater confidence.” 
 
Key enhancements in the new standard include: 

  • Practical design guidelines: Comprehensive guidance helps engineers optimize part geometry and material selection to fully leverage AM capabilities, unlocking new design freedom and performance. 
  • Guidelines for reporting CO2 footprint: A new methodology enables the estimation of the carbon footprint for AM parts, supporting more informed, environmentally conscious decision-making aligned with sustainability goals. 
  • Expanded qualification framework: The process is streamlined to group parts under shared qualifications, reducing redundant testing, lowering costs, and accelerating time-to-market. 
  • Inclusion of polymer AM parts: Reflecting growing industry use, the standard now includes a robust qualification framework for polymer parts, ensuring consistency and reliability across material types. 
Prajeev Rasiah, DNV
Prajeev Rasiah, Executive vice president and regional director for Northern Europe for Energy Systems at DNV

“Additive manufacturing offers a way of reducing material waste and supply chain related emissions. Its digital nature also enables new ways of ensuring quality control, which in turn increases confidence in a part’s integrity. Standardization is the bedrock for achieving these objectives,” said Prajeev Rasiah, Executive vice president and regional director for Northern Europe for Energy Systems at DNV. 

The standard also provides defined acceptance criteria and guidance on part families and in-process monitoring, helping manufacturers improve efficiency.

“The work continues in the next phase of our JIP, focusing on digital inventories and new AM technologies,” said Stian Gurrik, Project manager for the ProGRAM JIP. “Our projects have already shown a significant environmental benefit from using AM for part repair versus conventional replacement, highlighting the sustainability potential this standard helps to unlock.” 

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