b'32 Partner News Autumn 2023CorporateSupply chain innovation:embracing 3D printingBy DSEI One of the themes for this years DSEI eventcomponents cheaply, though he noted is agile acquisition and rapid delivery. 3Dit will be important to work through any printing could transform military deliveryintellectual property concerns. Another and deployment, with significant benefitsmajor advantage is prototyping, offering for logistics, the supply chain, prototypingthe ability to produce something on aand more. How are industry and militarysmall scale and relatively cheaply.organisations advancing the technology?R&D benefitsPlatform availability Lockheed Martin UK has worked with The Defence Support arm of the UK MinistryCranfield University on WAAM. Dr Thomas of Defence (MoD) have created AdditiveSharp, a materials engineer, pointed to theManufacturing (AM) as a Service Challengepotential complications with spare parts to accelerate the use of 3D printingin theatre and the benefits of supply chainand topology optimisation techniques to technologies and reduce issues affectingsimplification. Were a way off printingreduce material/weight while maintaining platform availability. Charlotte Robinson,parts to order in the field, but the potentialgood electromagnetic performance.Support Transformation Innovation Teamis huge.Leader, explained that the intention is toUnique advantagesprove parts produced through AM canGarry Ellingham, a project chief engineer atAM/3D printing also offers unique improve platform availability and developLockheed Martin, highlighted the benefitsadvantages over traditional manufacturing. the understanding of potential benefits thatin prototyping and assessing the usefulnessStumme explained with 3D printing we can this technology can provide. Robinson alsoof a particular concept. He explained thenow print previously large count assemblies noted that collaborative working groupscompany has looked to employ WAAM andas a single piece. This is especially true have been established with industry torelated technologies in a wide range ofwhen we look at circular or cylindrical assess and recommend ways to overcomematerials, from high strength steels to 2000phased arrays where the geometric potential constraints. series and 5000 series aluminium, and plansconstraints make the fabrication and to expand into titanium capabilities.assembly more difficult.WAAMCranfield University has been investigatingNRLs Radar Division have also found 3DSpee3D is an Australia-based manufacturer 3D printing-related technologies, includingprinting beneficial for prototyping. Annaof 3D printing technologies. Calum Stewart, the Wire + Arc Additive ManufacturingStumme, an NRL electrical engineer,who oversees the companys work with (WAAM) process, which uses wire as aexplained how AM/3D printing is ofEuropean defence programmes, pointed feedstock/raw material and an electric arccontinuing interest for the US Navalto the Russian invasion of Ukraine as an as a heat source. A primary motivation forResearch Laboratory. Stummes groupexample of the potential of 3D printing, 3D printing is combatting obsolescence,has focused on incorporating conceptsnoting that Ukraine is now operating a said Professor Gareth Appleby-Thomas,from design for additive manufacturingrange of western vehicles that will likely Head of Cranfield Universitys Centre for(DfAM) into the antenna design process,require spare parts and components. Defence Engineering.to develop antenna apertures that could not be fabricated with other manufacturingSpee3D has partnered with the International Additionally, it could help with bespokemethods.Institute of Modern Technologies (IIMT) in components. Appleby-Thomas explainedKyiv, which is keen to access the equipment the components can be very expensive,She explained this ranges from designingfor its students. Theres a huge opportunity because theyre on shorter productionconformal apertures in complex or space- right now to demonstrate the worth of runs. 3D printing could produce theseconstrained areas to utilising lightweightingmodern manufacturing techniques, he said.'