NAVSEA
USS New Hampshire (SSN 778)
Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has received complimentary reviews of a recently installed 3D printer on the Virginia-class attack submarine USS New Hampshire (SSN 778).
The printer is a Markforged X7 Field Edition, a composite AM system capable of printing high-durability carbon fibre reinforced nylon.
Installed in July 2022, the printer allows crews to unconventionally repair items such as pipe leaks and enclosures for new electrics in real time, increasing self-sustainment abilities according to NAVSEA.
“3D printers provide the opportunity for creative problem solving. These devices lower the barrier for component manufacturing, empowering sailors to take ownership of their repairs, and to think outside the box,” said Captain Bennett Christman, commanding officer of USS New Hampshire. “Ingenuity and creative problem solving are core to our history as a submarine force. Fostering these values will pay dividends in the way sailors approach all aspects of their jobs.”
According to NAVSEA, the Markforged X7 3D printer was chosen due to its ability to remain reliable in a simulated shipboard environment. It is a product of the NAVSEA Additive Manufacturing Research and Development Program (NAVSEA 05T) with support from Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Philadelphia, NSWC Carderock, and Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport.
“This system can be used to produce most of the currently approved Technical Data Packages that are available for Sailors on the Joint Technical Data Integration site,” said NAVSEA Additive Manufacturing Assistant Program Manager Lewis Shattuck. “These parts have been identified by NAVSEA engineers and the fleet to address a variety of needs including standard or preventative maintenance, temporary replacements, quality of life products, drill props, tools and fixturing.”
NAVSEA says that the USS New Hampshire reported that although the crew did not receive in-person training on the X7 3D printer, the documentation for the printer was ‘excellent’ and crew members experienced in 3D printing were able to learn and train other crew members.
Engineers from NUWC Newport, NSWC Philadelphia and NSWC Carderock are said to have combined lessons learned from previous 3D printer installs with the Markforged X7 to produce detailed instructions. The instructions enable Sailors to independently set up the printer, print parts, perform general maintenance and calibration, and troubleshoot problems.
“One of the most important factors when developing the documentation was having personnel with varying degrees of additive manufacturing experience working through each step described by the original equipment manufacturer and then adding updates, comments and more details with pictures when available,” said Shattuck.
Markforged
Markforged X7 Field Edition
NAVSEA 05T, with support from engineers at NSWCs Carderock and Philadelphia, NUWC Newport, and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, has installed additive manufacturing equipment aboard nine surface ships, including three aircraft carriers, and helped to inform the kit-based solution for additive manufacturing aboard four submarines.
With additive manufacturing mentioned in the NAVSEA Campaign Plan mission priority to ‘Transform Digital Capacity,’ the first metal 3D printer was permanently installed aboard a naval surface ship, the USS Bataan (LHD 5), in late 2022. The additive manufacturing programs are expected to continue to grow.
“The Afloat Additive Manufacturing Program will become an acquisition program of record in fiscal year 2024, under which the current plan is to more widely deploy the latest configurations of additive manufacturing equipment with the selection of metal, polymer, or both depending on the particular ship platform,” NAVSEA 05T Afloat R&D Lead Shaun Verrinder.
NAVSEA Chief Engineer and Deputy Commander for Ship Design, Integration and Naval Engineering (SEA 05) Rear Adm. Jason Lloyd said: “The team continues to make progress and we have made significant strides in additive manufacturing that are proving to be very beneficial. There is still a lot of work to do in the field, particularly the ubiquitous use of AM for metal construction and repairs.”
