IC3D Receives Military AM Award for Technical Achievement in 3D Printing Innovation

IC3D was awarded the Technical Achievement Award for 3D Printing Innovation at the 2022 Defense Strategies Institute Military AM Summit for it SBIR Phase 2 work with the U.S. Army to develop 3D-printable injection mold tooling for wire harness boot overmolding.

The company says this novel 3D printing material can be 3D printed on a wide variety of desktop 3D printers and, due to its high temperature resistance and carbon fiber reinforcement, can withstand over 100 injection molding shots unlocking in situ repairs and short-run builds of legacy components. 

“For me, personally, this is the most meaningful award we’ve ever received as we’re always surrounded by people and companies doing amazing groundbreaking things in our industry on a daily basis. It’s been a very humbling experience,” says Michael Cao, founder and chief extrusion officer.

The company was recognized for helping the U.S. Army keep equipment in service using 3D printed tooling made on their existing desktop printers. “Receiving recognition from your peers for these things is validating, and yet these quiet victories serve a larger purpose,” Cao says. “Together, they help us be a small company with a big impact.”

The Technical Achievement Award for 3D Printing Innovation is given to a government or industry representative or group in recognition of their profound contributions and diligent work in the field of additive manufacturing, as well as implementation in supporting the defense industrial base. The award was established in 2021 by the Defense Strategies Institute to showcase current/future innovations occurring in the 3D printing space, which will benefit other members of industry, as well as government partners.

This award is designed to encourage continued efforts by industry and government toward developing 3D printing solutions that will benefit military operations. The award is presented to demonstrate how important AM technologies are in solving supply chain issues and how each person or group is helping lead the way in transforming how they are used.

The Military Additive Manufacturing Summit is designed as an educational “Town Hall” forum, where thought leaders and key policymakers across military services, defense agencies and civilian organizations can come together for actionable discussions and debate. This year’s summit focused on the current/future advancements made in the 3D printing space as well as how the DoD is working to quickly integrate AM technologies in order to supply durable, affordable equipment and parts to the warfighter in the battle space.

IC3D is an on-demand manufacturing applications workshop converging traditional manufacturing process with digital 3D printing technologies. From materials creation and custom built 3D printing equipment to large object 3D printing and low-volume production, IC3D says its open and collaborative culture is crafting next-generation solutions.