US Soldier Completes SPEE3D Additive Manufacturing Demonstration for Army Research Lab

By 2027, the value of additive manufacturing in the defense sector is projected to be $1.7 billion. Why? Employing additive manufacturing technologies is advantageous because it can mean faster production times, cheaper costs, and more customizable outcomes. While 3D printing for the defense industry is often only conducted by experts, the US Army wanted to see if a soldier with no background in AM could be trained to produce a critical part within a short period. This way, parts could be produced on the field or at deployment locations in times of need. To test this idea, they completed an exercise at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville from August 5th to the 16th, and the demonstration was a success.

The collaboration had many players. The US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) were the government leaders. SPEE3D was the AM company lead along with VCR Metal Systems. The University of Tennessee Knoxville was the demonstration host, and the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR) was the site host with soldiers.

This is a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, similar to the one for which the soldier 3D printed a transmission mount, though not the same vehicle. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Eric Garland, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

For this trial, a soldier with no experience in AM learned to print a Bradley Fighting Vehicle’s transmission mount using the WarpSPEE3D printer. Then, they installed the 3D printed transmission mount into the vehicle and took it on test drives. Upon return, the part showed no degradation, and the mission succeeded. This soldier, with only brief training, could restore the vehicle’s capabilities.