Maroc - EURASIAREVIEW.COM - A la une - 15/Jul 14:53

3D Printing: Revolutionizing Military Supply Chains And Operational Readiness – OpEd

In the dynamic realm of modern warfare, where agility and self-sufficiency are paramount, additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, has emerged as a disruptive force, poised to redefine the very nature of military logistics and supply chain management. This groundbreaking technology holds the potential to significantly mitigate the vulnerabilities inherent in traditional supply lines, ushering in a new era of operational resilience and strategic autonomy. According to a 2024 white paper entitled “3D Printing and the Defense Sector: The Future is Now”, "the US military is keenly interested in additive manufacturing due to the unacceptably long lead times for mission-critical parts—a state of affairs that now seems to be a more or less permanent feature of global supply chains.” Historically, the procurement and distribution of mission-critical components have been plagued by a multitude of challenges, including exorbitant lead times, the proliferation of counterfeit parts, integrating diverse supply chains and coordination, and the logistical complexities of operating in austere environments. These impediments have often constrained the combat readiness of military forces, hindering their ability to respond swiftly and effectively to dynamic situations. The U.S. defense supply chain, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) which is responsible for efficiently sourcing 86% of the repair parts required for military bases, vehicles, and weapons, faces critical challenges. This task is fraught with issues, including the presence of mislabeled, defective, and counterfeit parts, costing taxpayers approximately $305 million in 2019 alone. Additive manufacturing, which involves building real three-dimensional objects layer by layer using computer aided designs, presents a viable solution to these quandaries, enabling the on-demand and on-site fabrication of spare parts, tools, and equipment. The process involves designing or downloading a digital blueprint of the desired object, passing it through a slicer software which divides the file into detailed information needed for each layer and then it is fed into a 3-D printer. Each layer is solidified when the next layer is added due to the pressure and velocity used. This decentralized approach to manufacturing reduces reliance on scattered vulnerable supply lines and allows added space for innovation, enhancing operational flexibility and minimizing the risks associated with disruptions or interdictions. Optisys, a satellite antenna manufacturer, redesigned microwave antennae test piece using 3D printing, successfully reducing the part count from 100 discrete pieces to a single integrated assembly leading to weight savings of more than 95%, lead time decreased from 11 months to 2 months, production costs lowered by 20-25%, and non-recurring costs decreased by 75%. At another instance, additive manufacturing allowed designing a General Electronics turbine midframe structure that eliminated the need for 300 parts from 50 different sources. Notably, Utilizing Additive Manufacturing (AM) instead of traditional casting methods to create the muzzle brake component significantly shortened the production lead time from 18 months to just a few weeks. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) recently tested a redesigned PS4 engine using additive manufacturing techniques, which reduced the number of parts from 14 to a single piece, eliminating 19 weld joints. This not only saved 97% of raw materials but also reduced the overall production time by 60%. Such breakthroughs underscore the potential of 3D printing to streamline complex manufacturing processes, particularly in environments where resource constraints are a critical consideration. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine serves as a poignant illustration of the transformative potential of 3D printing in the theater of war. For instance Ukrainian forces, bolstered by a diverse fleet of donated equipment from multiple nations, including Soviet era legacy systems, have leveraged this technology to produce obsolete custom parts compatible with legacy systems that are long out of production, ensuring their continued operational viability. For example, Ukraine received 28 units of a unique variant of the M113 armored fighting vehicle from Australia produced 40 years ago, which has specific modifications making it incompatible with standard spare parts. Additionally, unit measurement conversions between metric and US imperial systems present challenges, as US-manufactured vehicles may require tools not commonly found outside the US, prompting the use of 3D printing for immediate production of necessary tools and small components. 3D printing has emerged as a powerful force multiplier for Ukraine's military in the ongoing conflict. The ability to produce "parts of consequence" so close to the point of need has allowed Ukrainian forces to get disabled equipment back into the fight at a critical time. As one instructor put it,  "When you have a hinge on a troop carrier that's broken, and the 400-kilogram door won't stay open, that's a problem." Problems like these that could previously ground vital vehicles are now being solved through additive manufacturing. Several nations have provided substantial aid in the form of industrial 3D printers and training. Australia's SPEE3D under the DOD aid program has sent seven of its flagship WarpSPEE3D metal 3D printers worth around $1 million each, while the Netherlands acquired 10 Titomic systems explicitly to support Ukrainian repair capabilities. Critically, over a dozen Ukrainian soldiers have undergone intensive training in Poland on operating the printers and redesigning components, empowering them to repair as well as improve upon original parts. Rapid deployment of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and drones has been a hallmark of modern military operations, and 3D printing has played a pivotal role in accelerating this process. The U.S. Air Force's recent demonstration of assembling and deploying 3D-printed drones within a mere 24-hour window is a testament to the agility that this technology can provide, enabling swift aerial reconnaissance and logistical support in dynamic battlespaces. Complementing this development, the US startup Firestorm Labs, backed by Pentagon and Lockheed Martin has also secured $12 million to develop shipping container-sized "drone factories" that could 3D print fleets of unmanned aircraft behind enemy lines. As the company explains, "xCell is a semi-automated, expeditionary manufacturing cell that can be operated with limited human-in-the-loop engagement and powered by generators off-the-grid." Beyond its operational advantages, additive manufacturing also presents significant economic benefits. The U.S. Navy's initiative to leverage 3D printing for the repair of F/A-18-wheel assemblies has slashed costs from $100,000 per replacement to a mere $300, yielding substantial savings for the defense budget. As Theodore Gronda, program manager for Naval Air Systems Command's Additive Manufacturing Team, revealed, "approximately 80% of damaged tire rims are repairable using this method." This financial prudence not only enhances resource allocation but also underscores the cost-effectiveness of embracing emerging technologies. Looking ahead, the potential applications of 3D printing in the defense sector are vast and ever-expanding. From the development of hypersonic propulsion systems, where traditional manufacturing methods are unable to produce the required complex geometric specifications, to the conceptualization of mobile, containerized 3D printing factories, this technology is poised to further revolutionize manufacturing processes and supply chains. A recent report by Whatech indicates that the Additive Manufacturing Market is expected to reach a staggering $103.67 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 22.5% during the forecast period of 2024-2031. However, as with any transformative technology, additive manufacturing is not without its challenges. Concerns regarding quality control have marred the debate on adaptation of additive manufacturing. Fortunately, solutions have been proposed. These solutions are based on using extremely fast sensors to detect any defects in formation of products before solidification that can compromise its structural integrity and redesign the process at the onset of error heads on. As Morgan Trexler of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory aptly stated, "If we can identify defect formation while still in the melt state, then we have the opportunity to repair these imperfections before they result in performance-limiting flaws. We are working to make manufacturing processes more intelligent, which will inherently lead to more rapid manufacturing and trusted components." Another issue for wide scale industrial use of 3-D printing is its high barrier of entry costs.  Jonathan Morley, Programme Director – Material Availability Services at Babcock International Group, on the other hand, likes to think of it in terms of opportunity cost. “We’ve got to start thinking about the cost of not starting”  The real culprit here, might be the misperceptions of the business and military decision makers that the technology is in prototype stage. Data suggests otherwise. By 2027, industrial operational use of AM are expected to outpace the growth of prototypes, indicating a shift towards more practical and high-volume applications of AM in aerospace and defense sectors. Researchers have highlighted the potential threat of terrorist groups exploiting 3D printing to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMD) capabilities, albeit the overall risk remains low. Alarms over do-it-yourself communities making untraceable guns and other military grade weapons have been sounded and calls for regulation have been recorded as well. Nonetheless, the transformative potential of 3D printing in enhancing military readiness, agility, and self-sufficiency is undeniable. As this technology continues to evolve and mature, it will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of warfare and defense logistics, empowering military forces to adapt and respond with unprecedented speed and effectiveness in an increasingly complex and dynamic global security environment, echoing the leader of Ukrainian team manufacturing drones, “wars will be different from now on”