DVIDS – Information – CAMRE Helps Marines Take 3D Printing to New Heights

MONTEREY, Calif. (NPS) – The Consortium for Additive Manufacturing Analysis and Training (CAMRE) on the Naval Postgraduate Faculty (NPS) achieved the primary profitable demonstration of in-flight 3D printing aboard a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor plane on June 21 in Southern California.

CAMRE’s operational demonstration, which concerned the printing of a medical forged aboard an airborne Osprey, was a part of larger-scale train assist supplied by CAMRE and the Marine Innovation Unit (MIU) to forces taking part in an built-in coaching train (ITX) at Marine Corps Air Floor Fight Heart Twentynine Palms, Calif., from June 10-22.

This profitable check of in-flight additive manufacturing represents a functionality which may show important for fast response throughout any contested logistics state of affairs.

“We're in a novel place to quickly assist the joint pressure and speed up the adoption of superior manufacturing,” mentioned Chris Curran, program supervisor at CAMRE. “This is only one of many occasions we're committing assets to the place we share our analysis and ship tools and know-how to servicemembers.”

CAMRE labored in collaboration with the MIU and Marine Plane Group (MAG) 39 from Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Calif., to arrange the demonstration. The flight was performed with the assist of Marines and plane from the “Knightriders” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 164, commanded by Lt. Col. Casey Nelson.

The printer utilized within the demonstration, the Superior Manufacturing Operational System (AMOS), was developed by Spencer Koroly, an engineer at Naval Data Warfare Heart (NIWC) Pacific in San Diego. AMOS is famend for its velocity, reliability and expeditionary ruggedness when benchmarked to comparable methods.

“I see this as revolutionary, with the ability to print on the transfer,” Koroly mentioned. “Nothing is extra expeditionary than printing medical gadgets and swarm robotics behind an plane.”

In the course of the check, the staff started with a 3D scan of a Marine’s arm, which was used to create a drawing of a medical forged assisted by generative design software program. The forged itself was then printed whereas the Osprey was engaged in a number of floor and flight modes, together with taxi, takeoff and in-flight maneuvers.

“We're simply scratching the floor on the capabilities that may come from with the ability to 3D print in flight,” mentioned Lt. Col. Michael Radigan, who serves as a liaison to NPS from the MIU. “Dozens of printers being put in in a modular vogue aboard plane brings the power for cellular manufacturing at a scale now we have not skilled earlier than.”

As a part of the ITX, CAMRE introduced collectively working forces from Marine Forces Reserve, I Marine Expeditionary Power (MEF) and 3d Marine Plane Wing to show a distributed manufacturing mannequin in a contested logistics atmosphere.

CAMRE’s airborne 3D printing demonstration builds upon previous profitable operational demonstrations with the fleet, together with the primary deployment of a 3D liquid steel printer aboard USS Essex (LHD 2) through the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) train in 2022.

The mission of CAMRE is to ship quick outcomes to the warfighter, with a deal with accelerating expeditionary and home superior manufacturing capabilities for the joint pressure. CAMRE proliferates new capabilities, delivering schooling and certifications to extend the expertise pool for the joint pressure and validating ideas by operational workouts.

The Naval Postgraduate Faculty gives defense-focused graduate schooling, together with labeled research and interdisciplinary analysis, to advance the operational effectiveness, technological management and warfighting benefit of the naval service. For added data, go to NPS on-line at https://nps.edu.