I didn't know they had one of these deployed. Evidently it has been onboard USS Essex (LHD-2) since July '22. Prints parts in aluminum heated to 1562 degrees F. Link 1 Link 2

That's amazing! I've been to the Delta Technical Operations Center before where they mill and machine parts for most, if not all, their aircraft and it was pretty cool. But this is the total next step.

Available on Amazon???!!!???

Several suppressor companies have been printing units from titanium, SIG being one of them. I suspect we will be seeing more of this in the future as much more complex designs can be designed and executed versus just the traditional baffle stack.

quote:

Printers that can create three-dimensional objects can lead to “greater self-sufficiency for Navy ships,” notes Commander Arlo Abrahamson, a Naval spokesperson, via email. He says that the metal items that have been printed thus far on the Essex are “Common Valve Hand Wheels, Antenna Seal Band Brackets, Fire Hose Spanner Wrenches,” and more.

That's pretty cool, and I would love that capability out at sea, but I can't imagine justifying the price that this thing must cost just to be able to print out a spanner wrench in the middle of the ocean. Only the Navy can get away with that.

Hopefully this is just a stepping stone to printing things that are actually critical to have in an emergency, like main engine fuel pump parts, pump impellers, pump housings, pipe flanges, a piston rod for chrissakes. Things like that, you know... like critical spares, might justify investing in one of those things. Not the ability to print out a freaking hand wheel. Things like that we could always get by or makeshift something until we get to port. But being able to fabricate a new pump coupling or specific size bolt, now that's be a game changer. Still would love to have that liquid metal printer onboard as is though.

Considering how stuffed and stifled the current DoD acquisition process is, being able to produce a part rather than having to get it through several channels, then have it flown aboard....pretty cool.

https://www.nationaldefensemag...d-printer-out-to-sea

https://www.militarytimes.com/...printing-out-at-sea/

As with all emerging technologies, durable 3D printing will eventually become more accessible and mainstream, much as polymer 3D printing has become. But there is the whole one-at-a-time impediment to overcome, additive manufacturing does not lend itself to mass production, the factor that really made the industrial revolution matter to the lives of ordinary folk. I do think that this technology will lead to a comparable advance in people being able to lead more comfortable and fulfilling lives, along with things like nano machines, ever-shrinking electronic circuitry, and designed compound materials.

Undoubtedly there will be many more technological failures than successes, but we are in for quite a ride.

Where's my damn flying car? C'mon man, we are over 20% of the way through the 21st Century!

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Printers that can create three-dimensional objects can lead to “greater self-sufficiency for Navy ships,” notes Commander Arlo Abrahamson, a Naval spokesperson, via email. He says that the metal items that have been printed thus far on the Essex are “Common Valve Hand Wheels, Antenna Seal Band Brackets, Fire Hose Spanner Wrenches,” and more.

That's pretty cool, and I would love that capability out at sea, but I can't imagine justifying the price that this thing must cost just to be able to print out a spanner wrench in the middle of the ocean. Only the Navy can get away with that.

Hopefully this is just a stepping stone to printing things that are actually critical to have in an emergency, like main engine fuel pump parts, pump impellers, pump housings, pipe flanges, a piston rod for chrissakes. Things like that, you know... like critical spares, might justify investing in one of those things. Not the ability to print out a freaking hand wheel. Things like that we could always get by or makeshift something until we get to port. But being able to fabricate a new pump coupling or specific size bolt, now that's be a game changer. Still would love to have that liquid metal printer onboard as is though.

I don’t know about the specific printer in the video, but the capability to 3D print critical high-precision parts certainly exists.

E.g. some of the turbine blades in the GE9X jet engine for the Boeing 777X are 3D printed (different printer technology - electron beam sintering of titanium aluminide powder).

I imagine there are some Navy brass in a room somewhere right now tearing their hair out because they want the cool sci-fi technology SOOO bad (along with lesser considerations like reduced reliance on spares inventory and logistics chains ) but can’t stomach the security implications of there being a computer on the boat with the exact schematics of the top secret inner workings of the deck wash pump.

I guess that was just a bit sarcastic. To be fair, there definitely are some things that a random computer full of 3D models of would be an unacceptable security risk, but government agencies in general seem to take an all-or-nothing stance and get a real hard-on for that kind of thing where it doesn’t really matter. I assume the Navy does it, too, and 3D printing stupid crap like spanners on a zillion-dollar high-tech 3D printer makes it seem like there’s some of that going on.

Maybe soon we can start printing Politicians with a freaking brain!!!!

AF been using this type of tech for some time now, just keeps getting better and better.

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Originally posted by jcsabolt2:
Maybe soon we can start printing Politicians with a freaking brain!!!!

Dude. Come on.

Seriously cool tech!

quote:

Originally posted by jcsabolt2:
Maybe soon we can start printing Politicians with a freaking brain!!!!