Quick Summary
• I’ve been tracking the US Navy’s additive manufacturing (AM) buildup as it relates to submarines for a while now, and even amidst the AM efforts that all the branches have embarked...
Additional Context
I’ve been tracking the US Navy’s additive manufacturing (AM) buildup as it relates to submarines for a while now, and even amidst the AM efforts that all the branches have embarked upon throughout this decade, the metal AM program for subs remains one of the most ambitious objectives on the US military’s industrial agenda. With the announcement from Maine’s Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) that it successfully installed a metal 3D printed component on an in-service submarine on March 18, the Navy’s 3D printing capabilities look like they’re finally ready for broader implementation.
After inspecting and testing the component, a copper-nickel flange, maintenance fleet personnel at PNSY installed it on the Virginia-class USS Washington, following years of similar activity in private sector e