3-D PRINTING IN THE

MILITARY SECTOR
By: Shang, Blake, & Parashay
 3-D PRINTING INTRO INFORMATION
Topics to cover:
History
Key Terms
Purpose
Cost
Creation of objects
Recent News
Impacts
 HISTORY OF 3-D PRINTING IN THE
MILITARY
Technically known as additive
manufacturing
Have always been affiliated with
military
Dates back to 1981
Has created the following:
Missiles
Armor For Female Soldiers
Drones
Exoskeletons

An innovating idea

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 KEY TERMS
RAMBO Rapid Additively Manufactured Ballistics Ordanance
RDECOM U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command
DMLS Direct metal laser sintering

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 PURPOSE
3D printing speeds up process
3D printing reduces cost
Allows for the military to be more innovative
The purpose of RAMBO was to create a weapon that could move through
development stages quickly
RAMBO cut the amount of time it would normally take to go through development
to a fraction. Normally years went to 6 months.

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 COST

knowing what Start making parts

Delivery Receive
soldier needs and preparing them

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 COST

Get a 3D-Printer Receive

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 HOW IT'S MADE ON 3-D PRINTERS:
GRENADES
The grenades were based on the M781 40 mm training rounds
Grenades were printed using aluminum and glass-filled nylon
During early stages the grenades would crack, and in order to fix the issue the
walls of the cartridge case were made thicker
The main issue was creating the grenades body, since 3D printing in zinc has not
yet been made possible

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 HOW IT'S MADE ON 3-D PRINTERS:
GRENADE LAUNCHERS
Grenade Launchers require high precision lasers in order to weld metal powder
into the many different objects needed to craft it
The trigger and firing pins are also printed using steel
Once each part is printed it is put together and tested in a training area

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 HOW IT'S MADE ON 3-D PRINTERS:
MISSILES
Raytheon a major company producing defense weaponry for the military has
figured out how to use 3D printers to print missiles
The parts they have started to print include rocket engines, guidance and control
systems, and the fins
Currently research is being done in order to print circuits and microwave
components

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 HOW IT'S MADE ON 3-D PRINTERS: GUN
PARTS
Both of the guns are real
Most of parts are plastic
Only barrel and Firing pin are metal (The white gun)
Only Firing pin are metal (The blue gun)

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 HOW IT'S MADE ON 3-D PRINTERS:
DRONES
3D printed micro-drones
Problem of shortages of spare parts for aging weapon systems.
A new way of equipping and supplying forces in the field.
Low cost

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 HOW IT'S MADE ON 3-D PRINTERS:
TURBOSHAFT ENGINE
GE successful created first engine from AM
Compressed 855 parts into 12 main parts
One part consisted of 300 normal parts
Formed from metallic powder

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HOW IT'S MADE ON 3-D PRINTERS: FOOD
FOR SOLDIERS
Present Future
Way Way
Soldier wears
Food is prepared device to measure
nutrition status

Data reaches
basecamp that
Food is cooked shows soldier
hasn't had enough
protien

3-D printer creates

Food is sealed in chocolate bar or
special packaging pizza in less than 30
min
 RECENT NEWS
The US Navy 3D printed a concept submersible
90 percent cheaper (ranges from $600,000 to $800,000)
Four weeks (typically takes 3-5 months to manufacture)
Will be introduced for use as early as 2019.

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 POS & NEG IMPACTS ON MY LIFE FROM
THIS TECHNOLOGY
Ultimately, anything that helps the military impacts the lives of its
civilians. However, these can be used against us from other militaries.
This technology will improve defense in the United States. This
technology has potential to be used to hurt the United States.
There are many advantages of this technology, and it would be
terrible if people misuse this technology.
 SOURCES
3dprinterchat.com
3dprint.com
3dprintingindustry.com
science.dodlive.mil
News
Guided missiles source
RAMBO Source One
RAMBO Source Two
 SOURCES
Purpose Source
Grenades Source
businessinsider.com