The US Navy has expanded its advanced manufacturing training capabilities at the Navy's Schoolhouse in Danville, Virginia, with the installation of hybrid and additive manufacturing systems.
Delivered in partnership with BlueForge Alliance, the Navy's procurement and program management partner, the US Navy has deployed 12 Phillips Hybrid Manufacturing systems and 12 Markforged X7 composite additive manufacturing systems.
Sailors will now obtain hands-on experience across metal hybrid manufacturing, composite additive manufacturing, and production-ready workflows. The equipment will be used to support Navy personnel participating in the Afloat Training Program and help develop the skilled advanced manufacturing workforce required to strengthen fleet readiness and sustainment capabilities.
The 12 Phillips Hybrid systems combine Haas TM-1P CNC and Meltio Directed Energy Deposition technologies into a single platform, enabling new parts to be manufactured and worn parts to be repaired and restored. Meanwhile, the 12 Markforged X7 systems will support the fast production of tooling, fixtures, prototypes, and replacement components.
Providing hands-on experience with these advanced and additive manufacturing technologies, the US Navy hopes to prepare sailors to manufacture, repair, and sustain critical components closer to the point of need.
The Navy's broader Deployed Advanced Manufacturing initiatives emphasise point-of-need production and workforce development by integrating polymer and metal additive manufacturing across shipboard and shore-based operations—priorities directly supported by the Danville Schoolhouse training environment. Shipboard success, including the production of a replacement sprayer plate aboard USS Bataan, underscores the importance of training sailors on production-ready manufacturing technologies before they deploy.
“This effort reflects a highly collaborative approach between the Navy, BlueForge Alliance, Meltio, Markforged, and Phillips Federal to deliver real-world manufacturing capability for the fleet,” said Bobby Keithley, Vice President of Sales & Product Strategy, Phillips Federal. “By training sailors on the same hybrid and additive systems they will encounter aboard ship, the Navy is accelerating readiness, improving sustainment outcomes, and strengthening its advanced manufacturing workforce. Hybrid manufacturing provides a powerful advantage by combining additive and subtractive processes, enabling sailors to produce new components, repair worn parts, and reduce dependence on traditional supply chains when operating in contested or remote environments.”
“It is difficult to think of a more challenging environment than out at sea, and Meltio’s technology could not be in better hands than the team at the Navy’s Danville Schoolhouse, supported by Phillips Federal,” added Gabriel Ortiz, Americas Channel Manager at Meltio. “As a retired sailor, I have a special appreciation for what this technology can accomplish when placed in the hands of well-trained sailors and Marines. Equipping the next generation of naval maintainers with advanced manufacturing capabilities will strengthen fleet readiness and help ensure critical parts can be produced whenever and wherever they are needed.”
The Navy Schoolhouse is owned by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and operated in collaboration with the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR).
