Military – Elementum 3D

US Air Force – AM Olympics Has 5 Technical Challenge Winners

educyber — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 22:31:00 +0000

The U.S. Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO) has announced the conclusion of its first Advanced Manufacturing Olympics (AMO), with five technical design challenge winners and a total of nearly $1M in prizes.

The virtual event, which took place from October 20 – 23, brought together a whole host of industry experts, academics, and government personnel to witness the potential of advanced manufacturing, including 3D printing, in the defense sector. Aside from the technical challenges, the conference comprised a number technology demonstrations, presentations from high-profile speakers, and virtual networking segments.

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AF ‘Olympics’ Seeks To Speed 3D Printing Capabilities

educyber — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 21:43:00 +0000

WASHINGTON: Not a lot of money is at stake in the Air Force’s Advanced Manufacturing Olympics (AMO) competition in October, but the winners will secure ground-floor spots in the service’s high-priority drive to revolutionize aircraft maintenance.

Advanced manufacturing, including 3D printing, has the potential to “change the way we operate,” Lt. Gen. Robert McMurry, head of Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), explained in a webinar today to preview the AMO technical challenges being held virtually Oct. 20-23. “It will make our operations more efficient; it’ll give us opportunities we never had,” he added.

McMurry is also the PEO for the Rapid Sustainment Office (RSO) that is sponsoring the “olympics,” which originally were to be held in St. Louis at the same time as the pandemic-canceled Tokyo Summer Olympics. Air Force Research Laboratory as well as America Makes, one of DoD’s eight manufacturing innovation institutes, are supporting the AMO.

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The U.S. Army Is Working on 3D Printed Body Armor

educyber — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 15:39:00 +0000

New research into 3D printing technology could someday lead to the U.S. military 3D printing body armor for soldiers. The technology, which looks to abalone shells for inspiration, could allow units to print armor themselves, foregoing a cumbersome supply process. Researchers at the Army Research Laboratory, according to The National Interest, are developing ways to 3D print ceramic materials.

Ceramics are more difficult to 3D print than plastics or metals, but they are also a key component of 3D Printed body armour designed to protect soldiers from bullets and shrapnel on the battlefield. ARL researchers are looking to the graded nature of an abalone shell—built up layer upon layer over time by the single-shell mollusk—for inspiration.

U.S. Army tests RAMBO, a 3D printed grenade launcher

educyber — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 21:36:00 +0000

Researchers at the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center have test fired a 3D printed grenade launcher called RAMBO (Rapid Additively Manufactured Ballistics Ordnance).

Donald Trump’s first budget as President of the U.S.A. will propose a huge hike in defense spending. If the President gets his way, an extra $54 billion will be pumped into the military, with foreign aid likely to be the biggest casualty. Arts funding will also be cut significantly, though there was a brief period when it appeared that might not be the case…