Printed parts checked for accuracy using Geomagic Control
3D Systems is set to enhance its work in the Department of Defense technology with a new venture in the logistics and supply chain for the US Marine Corps.
In an annual event, US Marine Corps Expeditionary Logistics Wargame VIII, Marine Corps engineers plan to explore 3D Systems’ advanced 3D scanning and printing tools to rapidly replace damaged parts in the field. They will test cutting edge technology including SLS and Direct Metal Printing to repair two key parts of a tactical multipurpose robot.
Engineers will capture CAD models of the components which can be scanned in less than half an hour using Geomagic Capture and Geromagic Design Direct. Fully functioning replacement parts can then be immediately printed using 3D Systems’ Selective Laser Sintering and Direct Metal Printing Fab-Grade printers. The parts will then go through a process to be checked for accuracy and quality using Geomagic Control to make sure that the printed component meets the specs of the original scan.
“We are thrilled to work with the U.S. Department of Defense to modernize tactics across multiple domains (land, air, sea, cyber, and space) and demonstrate to the Marine Corps the latest tools to deliver rapid response solutions in critical applications,” said Neal Orringer, Vice President of Alliances and Partnerships at 3DS. “We are pleased to be a partner in this effort to improve tactical responses and help save war-fighters’ lives.”
The exercise will open up opportunities for military engineers to complete vital repairs whilst on site. 3D printing will reduce costly servicing and enable repairs to be carried out quickly with a high level of accuracy.
The importance of additive manufacturing in the forces has become a major subject of interest over the last few months as various military sectors have looked into the importance of the technology, not just providing efficient ways of reproducing parts but also changing the supply of food, medicine and also uniforms. The ExLog Wargame shows that 3D printing is geared to play a tactical role in supporting the needs of the modern war-fighter.
