A NEW DIMENSION OF ACQUISITION


One type of AM—fused filament fabri- cation—produces parts from plastic and other durable materials by adding mate- rial, layer by layer, using 3-D printers. Te material, which resembles heavy fish- ing line or weed-eater string, is pushed precisely through a print head in the pat- tern of the item being built.


PRINTING UP THE FUTURE


These parts were made using additive manufacturing, which creates plastic items and other durable components by adding material, layer by layer, using 3-D printers. (U.S. Army photo)


A key benefit of AM is that it uses only the material necessary to make a part, minimizing waste and saving money. Another important feature is that AM can be used to recycle waste and make new products. For example, RDECOM’s U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is working on a process that takes unwanted material, such as the packag- ing from Soldiers’ Meals, Ready to Eat and water bottles, shreds or melts it and then processes it into a string that is used to make items such as a door handle or a rack. Recycling waste on the battlefield will not only minimize the cleanup pro- cess for Soldiers, but also eliminate the wait time for new parts, which can be days or weeks. Te amount of time that it takes to print a part using AM depends on the material that is used and the part that is made, but overall it is quicker than waiting for a part to be shipped.


“One of the challenges associated with AM, however, is that it’s still new, and our understanding of the process down to the level that lets us repeat it and get the same results over and over again is not there yet,” said Davis.


EVOLUTION OF AN IDEA


This breaching tool, which is used to open doors and crates or to cut wires and other material, evolved from the initial pattern on the left to the final product on the far right. Based on Soldier feedback on the original design, the Ex Lab team added contouring to the handle for safety and grip. The team also added quick-change blades and hex holes in the handle so that it can be used as a wrench. (U.S. Army photo)


PROVIDING HELP AT THE POINT OF NEED To support forward-deployed Soldiers, RDECOM partners with the Rapid Equipping Force (REF) to help manage, staff and support expeditionary labs (Ex Labs), which can be deployed worldwide. Te Ex Labs are designed to get innova- tive items to the Soldiers as quickly as


84


Army AL&T Magazine


January-March 2017


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