The U.S. Department of Defense Awards ExOne Contract to Develop Military 3D Printing Factory Pod

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded ExOne with a contract to develop a fully operational 3D printing factory pod in a shipping container. Since the $1.6 million contract was awarded in August last year, ExOne has already commenced the development stage of the project. ExOne is a leading manufacturer of industrial sand and metal 3D printers. Relying on binder jetting technology, ExOne’s 3D printers are currently able to produce parts in over twenty different metal, ceramic, and composite materials.

With this project, ExOne endeavors to improve the ruggedness of their commercially available printers in order to make them compatible with a wider range of operating conditions and military applications, while still keeping a high standard of quality and precision in final parts. The company are also in the process of adapting their technology for the factory pod in order to make it simpler to use in the field and easily operable by users with minimal technical knowledge. ExOne are currently developing an upgraded version of its current commercial 3D printer with a unique body style and other features in order to make it a more rugged, military-grade product.

Photo Credit: ExOne

John Hartner, CEO of ExOne commented on the company’s contract: “Binder jet 3D printing is a critical manufacturing technology for military use because of its speed, flexibility of materials, and ease of use. We’re excited to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Defense and other partners to make our 3D printers more rugged for the military, which will also benefit our other manufacturing customers. Most importantly, we know that years from now, our technology will play an important role in filling critical needs quickly.”