b'Partner News Spring 2023 33CorporateThe intention is to prove parts producedStummes group has focused on through AM can improve platformincorporating concepts from design for availability and develop the understandingadditive manufacturing (DfAM) into the of potential benefits that this technologyTheres a huge opportunityantenna design process, to develop antenna can provide, as well as the constraints andright now to demonstrateapertures that could not be fabricated solutions to these constraints, Robinsonwith other manufacturing methods, she explained. Defence Support is working withthe worth of modernsaid. This ranges from designing conformal industry to alleviate any blockers that aremanufacturing techniques. apertures in complex or space-constrained hindering the wider adoption of AM.areas to utilising lightweighting and topology optimisation techniques to reduce WAAM material/weight while maintaining good Cranfield University has been investigating 3Delectromagnetic performance. printing-related technologies, including the Wire + Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)AM/3D printing provides NRL with a process, which uses wire as a feedstock/rawcost- and time-effective way to develop, material and an electric arc as a heat source.test and iterate on designs, Stumme added. However, it is not just limited A primary motivation for 3D printing isto prototyping, and has shown unique combatting obsolescence, said Professoradvantages over traditional manufacturing Gareth Appleby-Thomas, head of Cranfieldfor certain designs. Universitys Centre for Defence Engineering. With military vehicles sometimes enduringWhen looking at traditional, machined for decades, you may run out of your poolphased array designs we can end up with of spare parts. Additionally, it could helpvery large part count assemblies that can with bespoke components. There may onlybe difficult and time consuming to put be a few hundred examples of the vehiclestogether. With 3D printing we can now in question, he said, unlike hundreds ofprint that assembly as a single piece. This thousands of variants of a commercialis especially true when we look at circular vehicle. The components can be veryor cylindrical phased arrays where the expensive, because theyre on shortergeometric constraints make the fabrication production runs. 3D printing could produceand assembly more difficult.these components cheaply, though it will be important to work through any intellectualSpee3D is an Australia-based manufacturer property concerns, he noted.of 3D printing technologies, including the new XSPEE3D 3D metal printer, a The other major advantage is prototyping,deployable system that works with a wide Appleby-Thomas said, the ability torange of metals, from aluminium 5056 to produce something on a small scale andGarry Ellingham, a project chief engineer atvarious types of stainless steel. Calum relatively cheaply. Again, it is important toLockheed Martin UK, highlighted the benefitsStewart, who oversees the companys ensure quality control, particularly if thein prototyping and assessing the usefulnesswork with European defence programmes, end component will be produced using aof a particular concept. He said the companypointed to the Russian invasion of Ukraine different approach.has looked to employ WAAM and relatedas an example of the potential of 3D technologies in a wide range of materials,printing, noting that Ukraine is now Charlotte Robinson also highlighted severalfrom high strength steels to 2000 seriesoperating a range of western vehicles constraints on the rapid application of AM,and 5000 series aluminium. It has plans tothat will likely require spare parts and notably certification; the digital thread; IP/ expand into titanium capabilities. Werecomponents. Spee3D has partnered with design rights; and inventory management.asking if we can build something that youthe International Institute of Modern However, she noted that collaborativecouldnt build out of conventional machiningTechnologies (IIMT) in Kyiv, which is keen to working groups have been established withprocesses, he added, such as complexaccess the equipment for its students. industry to assess and recommend ways tofeatures and novel shapes. overcome these constraints. Theres a huge opportunity right now Unique advantages to demonstrate the worth of modern R&D benefits AM/3D printing is of continuing interestmanufacturing techniques, he said. Lockheed Martin UK has worked withfor the US Naval Research Laboratory, said Cranfield University on WAAM. Dr ThomasAnna Stumme, an NRL electrical engineer.For more on manufacturing and Sharp, a materials engineer, pointed to theNRLs Radar Division has utilised it for rapidsupply chain innovation in the Defence potential complications with spare partsprototyping of antenna apertures, as wellmarket, visit DSEI at London ExCeL in in theatre and the benefits of supply chainas research into how the antenna designSeptember 2023. Click here for details: simplification. Were a way off printing partsprocess can be tailored to take advantage ofhttps://www.dsei.co.uk/forums/agile-to order in the field, but the potential is huge. 3D printing.acquisition-rapid-delivery'