Sandia Labs Uses 3D Printing for Weapons Systems

Whether for tanks, propulsion systems, helmets, or on-ship printing, additive manufacturing is slowly but surely gaining a foothold in the defense industry. And new applications are being discovered nearly every month. For example, Sandia National Labs has announced that it is using 3D printing and other technologies to transform how it develops custom electronic connectors for weapons systems.

Sandia National Laboratories is a multimission laboratory operated by Sandia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honewell International, for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The lab receives funding from numerous sources and is at the forefront of research in areas like nuclear deterrence, global security, energy technologies and more. It also has experience with additive manufacturing. Last March, we told you about its project with Oregon State University to create a 3D printing construction material that could trap carbon dioxide.

Sandia National Laboratories engineers analyzing PEEK inserts (photo credits: Craig Fritz/Sandia National Laboratories)

This particular project, the Rapid Development Connectors program, is however completely different as it is dedicated to using advanced manufacturing techniques to help develop connectors for weapons systems, notably nuclear weapons. The five-year National Security Administration-funded project seeks to build a team that is capable of fabricating and delivering functional connectors in less than four weeks, in contrast to the current year or longer. All while ensuring that the quality of the resulting components remains superior.