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3D printers allow you to build a military hangar overnight.
The rise of Additive Manufacturing has been a turning point for the U.S. Army, making it easier to repair aircraft after a collision with birds and accelerating the development of hypersonic weapons, said senior Defense Department official Keith DeVry.
DeVry noted that additive manufacturing has made a huge leap in recent years, opening up new opportunities for creating weapons and components, which is especially useful when designing new systems – technologies speed up the process of rapid prototyping compared to traditional methods.
They also created "one-off" spare parts for aircraft repairs, which previously had to wait a long time due to the slow supply chain. DeVry noted that thanks to additive manufacturing, damage to the aircraft from a collision with birds was repaired overnight.
3D printers have also accelerated the creation of new tools and their supply chain. In addition, the scale of objects that can be printed increases so much that you can now build entire buildings.
The Ministry of Defense has paid attention to the achievements and is looking for ways to apply them. DeVry said that new technologies may surprise with the ability to print a runway or hangar literally overnight.
Additive manufacturing has progressed from creating objects from more brittle polymers to materials with high tensile strength. Currently, this technique is used to create objects made of high-entropy alloys. High-entropy metals may have improved resistance to high temperatures and wear, making them potentially suitable for use in critical components of hypersonic weapons, such as engines or structural components.
Ramjet systems, which are essential for hypersonic systems, require special chambers that are difficult to manufacture. But 3D printing provides manufacturers of hypersonic weapons with the ability to easily create the necessary components.
DeVry also stressed that traditional manufacturing methods such as casting and forging are still relevant. However, the Department of Defense and manufacturers must replace standard methods with additive manufacturing "in a very deliberate and limited way." DeVry explained that for now, additive manufacturing should be seen as a tool in the arsenal, not as a complete replacement for traditional methods.
The rise of Additive Manufacturing has been a turning point for the U.S. Army, making it easier to repair aircraft after a collision with birds and accelerating the development of hypersonic weapons, said senior Defense Department official Keith DeVry.
DeVry noted that additive manufacturing has made a huge leap in recent years, opening up new opportunities for creating weapons and components, which is especially useful when designing new systems – technologies speed up the process of rapid prototyping compared to traditional methods.
They also created "one-off" spare parts for aircraft repairs, which previously had to wait a long time due to the slow supply chain. DeVry noted that thanks to additive manufacturing, damage to the aircraft from a collision with birds was repaired overnight.
3D printers have also accelerated the creation of new tools and their supply chain. In addition, the scale of objects that can be printed increases so much that you can now build entire buildings.
The Ministry of Defense has paid attention to the achievements and is looking for ways to apply them. DeVry said that new technologies may surprise with the ability to print a runway or hangar literally overnight.
Additive manufacturing has progressed from creating objects from more brittle polymers to materials with high tensile strength. Currently, this technique is used to create objects made of high-entropy alloys. High-entropy metals may have improved resistance to high temperatures and wear, making them potentially suitable for use in critical components of hypersonic weapons, such as engines or structural components.
Ramjet systems, which are essential for hypersonic systems, require special chambers that are difficult to manufacture. But 3D printing provides manufacturers of hypersonic weapons with the ability to easily create the necessary components.
DeVry also stressed that traditional manufacturing methods such as casting and forging are still relevant. However, the Department of Defense and manufacturers must replace standard methods with additive manufacturing "in a very deliberate and limited way." DeVry explained that for now, additive manufacturing should be seen as a tool in the arsenal, not as a complete replacement for traditional methods.
