The British army is going to print replacement parts partly directly in the field. On the one hand, it thus eases pressure on the supply chain for spare parts. On the other hand, the 3D printer will make hard-to-deliver parts available faster, allowing vehicles to be operational again sooner.
Under the name project Brokkr, the British army is developing a 3D printer that can be transported on a truck. This will allow a fully functional off-the-shelf 3D printer to be set up in the field for printing parts in metal. In doing so, the printer is placed in a standard ISO container, simplifying transport.
From simple printer to Supersonic Particular Deposition
3D printing is not new for the British Army. For example, the Royal Engineers were already using a 3D printer to produce couplings for pipework in South Sudan in 2019. These played a crucial role in the creation and maintenance of a field hospital. The Royal Engineers then used simple 3D printers.
Meanwhile, the British Army has switched to Supersonic Particular Deposition (SPD). This is a technology in which micron-sized metal particles are fired at a supersonic velocity onto a solid surface using gases such as helium or nitrogen. The collision creates enough energy to allow the particles to bond with the underlying material.
Speed vs accuracy
The British army points to the high printing speed that SPD enables. Thus, large objects can be produced in a relatively short time. A downside of this high print speed is that the accuracy of the printing process is limited.
The British Army highlights a heat-fusing system used by the Royal Air Force. This system offers greater precision, but can only print smaller objects and has a lower print speed.
'Part of the manufacturing process'
The British Army points to several advantages of 3D printing components in the field. These include efficiency and repair speed, as well as transport costs and reducing CO2 emissions by not having to fly parts in.
However, Lieutenant Colonel John Anthistle, Commanding Officer of the 9 Battalion Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers, also points out that 3D printing is only part of the manufacturing process. "The production of a part starts with the design of the object and moves on to fabrication, before going through post-fabrication processes such as heat treatment, milling and finishing. In doing so, we use many of the more traditional crafts and skills found within the Corps," Lieutenant Colonel John Anthistle told the British Army website.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Image: shauking via Pixabay
