GETTING STARTED NOW
a part and then using machining and heat treating to get the desired surface finish and material properties, all the while using robotic monitoring for quality control.
Advanced manufacturing has the abil- ity to fundamentally change the way we design, deliver, produce and sustain our capabilities. It can allow us to modern- ize and innovate our systems like never before. It can decrease design limitations imposed by traditional manufacturing methods and allow us to more easily produce complex parts. Let’s look at an example. Traditionally, an aircraft engine component may be the combina- tion of 200 parts that are welded together into a complex design. But what if, instead of welding together 200 distinct, intricate parts, we could 3D-print the whole compo- nent as one piece? We’re going from 200 parts to one, eliminating all fusion points—that are really possible failure points—thereby increasing reliability.
It can also enable the production of specialty or tailored items. Helmets, for example, could be customized to fit individual Soldiers. Tese capabilities will fundamentally change how we design a component; instead of designing around the confines of traditional manufacturing, engineers can concentrate on the design that achieves the greatest operational performance. Advanced manufacturing can also allow us to innovate with unpar- alleled speed. Using advanced methods, we can quickly produce prototypes, deter- mine if they are viable, and transition them to production faster than ever before.
But to optimize our use of advanced manufacturing, we have to change our thinking about what materials we use as well. Tat same aircraft engine component
102 Army AL&T Magazine Fall 2019
we just discussed, which was designed and manufactured using advanced meth- ods, could also be generated using—you guessed it—advanced materials. Te use of certain composite materials, such as spun ceramic, allows for components that are lighter than ever before—which is especially critical for things like aircraft components and Soldiers’ equipment.
The Army has begun and will continue to incorporate these advanced methods and materials into all aspects of the system development life cycle.
Beyond the new methods and materials used to produce this component, advanced techniques can also transform the indus- trial operations at the facility where the component is produced. Combining arti- ficial intelligence, robotics, sensors and a digital network on the factory floor enables the connection between machines, prod- ucts and people, leading to efficiencies such as improved quality control, predic- tive maintenance or automatic ordering of supplies. It also allows people to moni- tor the entire process, from individual machine performance to the environ- mental conditions in the factory—you can digitally follow a part from raw material to final production.
MODERNIZATION AND READINESS Advanced manufacturing also provides the promise of production scalability. Producing parts or systems using tradi- tional manufacturing methods requires a significant amount of time and money to establish or restart a production line. Using advanced methods, we can quickly establish a line and increase throughput with one company or by contracting with multiple companies. As a result, advanced manufacturing has the potential to lower the barrier to entry for small businesses because there’s no need for large space and machinery, which is usually required for a large production line.
On top of the modernization benefits just outlined, Dr. Bruce D. Jette, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logis- tics and technology (ASA(ALT)), is excited about the possibilities these technologies present for Army readiness. If employed to the maximum extent, advanced manufacturing could revolu- tionize our battlefield logistics
footprint through on-demand fabrication of parts close to the point of need, thus reducing the large number of parts that would have to be stored and transported around the globe. Advanced manufactur- ing can also be used to address obsolete parts, hard-to-get parts and diminishing sources of supply. Previously, in urgent situations, innovative solutions were put together with things like duct tape and wire, but now, with 3D printers, better solutions can be produced.
Currently, the Army is assessing the value and utility of advanced manufacturing in tactical environments through a limited user experiment that began in April 2018.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156
