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US Navy Uses SPEE3D Technologies for Its MaintenX Exercise

SPEE3D, an Australian metal 3D printing company, recently announced that it was chosen by the US Navy to play an important role in their MaintenX exercise which aims to give a better understanding of the operational challenges faced by soldiers…

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SPEE3D, an Australian metal 3D printing company, recently announced that it was chosen by the US Navy to play an important role in their MaintenX exercise which aims to give a better understanding of the operational challenges faced by soldiers as well as to provide them with an understanding of developing technologies. Namely, SPEE3D will be working on manufacturing deployable metal 3D printing technology for use at both port and sea. Ultimately, this partnership will show the vast benefits of 3D printing in the defense sector, a fact with both the US Armed Forces and SPEE3D are already well acquainted.

By selecting SPEE3D’s metal cold spray 3D printing process, the US Navy chose a procedure that SPEE3D claims is 100 to 1000 times faster than traditional 3D metal printing. The company considers the technology to be the most affordable metal additive manufacturing process to produce industrial quality metal parts in minutes, from anywhere, a fact that they already used in previous projects such as creating spare parts for use in the field with the Australian Army. The company, which is based in Melbourne, Victoria is known as one of the leading supplier of the world’s fastest metal 3D printers.

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Photo Credits: SPEE3D

In this instance, SPEE3D is working on The Maintenance Technology Engagement Exercise (MAINTENX)​, a special event sponsored by NAVSEA 05T, and which will take place between August 22nd – September 2nd, 2022 at Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, California. It will consist of a series of technical demonstrations, field experiments, and exercises that give an opportunity to assess technology-based solutions that solve fleet expeditionary maintenance as well as battle-related support requirements. It is part of a wider trend in the armed forces wherein they are turning to additive manufacturing to develop solutions to problems of supply chains and other considerations when out on the battlefield especially those in the United States.