U.S. Army Selects 3YourMind Software to Identify Parts Suited for Additive Manufacturing
As part of the initial effort, 3YourMind software will analyze up to 10,000 selected parts and evaluate them based on technical feasibility, lead time and cost. That will give the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Ground Vehicle Systems Center greater insight as to which spare parts are strong use cases for additive manufacturing.
Example of a hybrid metal additive manufacturing machine employed by the U.S. Army, located at Rock Island Arsenal, DVIDS - Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Source: U.S. Army - photo by Jerome Aliotta
3YourMind and Phillips Corp. Federal Division are collaborating with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) to support an Advanced Manufacturing (AdvM) part identification effort. GVSC, along with the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), will utilize 3YourMind software to identify potential AdvM candidate parts necessary to sustain and maintain legacy systems.
DEVCOM GVSC is responsible for driving innovation in ground vehicle technology. Today, that includes continuing efforts to modernize equipment sustainment methods for the M113 armored personnel carrier. With the help of Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation Research (WSU-NIAR), GVSC has successfully reverse-engineered and developed a digital twin for the M113. GVSC will use 3YourMind to evaluate the M113 data and identify candidate parts which can be produced with AdvM technologies for the purpose of adding additional production methods that further fortify Department of Defense (DOD) supply chains.
As part of the initial effort, 3YourMind will analyze up to 10,000 parts selected by GVSC and evaluate them based on technical feasibility, lead time and cost. Once the part evaluation is concluded, GVSC will have a greater understanding of which spare parts are strong use cases for additive manufacturing (AM).
The effort with the U.S. Army follows 3YourMind’s ongoing efforts in the DOD, including the U.S. Navy’s Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific and the U.S. Marine Corps Advanced Manufacturing Systems Team (AMST). 3YourMind and Phillips Corp. Federal Division have been a supporting partner to assist the DOD in realizing its vision to revitalize the industrial base, create distributed manufacturing networks, and support leaner maintenance and logistics practices using AM.
Example of an M113 personnel carrier. Source: U.S. Army - photo by Spc. Michael Hunnisett
“Our previous efforts with the Department of Defense have positioned us well to support the enterprise additive manufacturing ambitions of the GVSC,” says William Cuervo, vice president of North America at 3YourMind. “We’re excited to support the GVSC in identifying and producing parts using additive manufacturing that can be used to sustain equipment critical to the safe passage of our troops."
The DEVCOM GVSC, located in Warren, Michigan, is the U.S. Armed Forces’ research and development facility for advanced technology in ground systems. The U.S. Army DEVCOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC). GVSC shares its facilities with the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM). Current technology focus areas include power and mobilities, autonomous systems, force projection, survivability and protection, electronics and architecture, cyber engineering and software integration.
Related Content
-
Additive Manufacturing for Defense: Targeting Qualification
Targeting qualification in additive manufacturing for the defense industry means ensuring repeatability as well as reliability as there is much at stake, including human lives. Certain requirements therefore must be met by weapons systems used by the defense industry.
-
New Zeda Additive Manufacturing Factory in Ohio Will Serve Medical, Military and Aerospace Production
Site providing laser powder bed fusion as well as machining and other postprocessing will open in late 2023, and will employ over 100. Chief technology officer Greg Morris sees economic and personnel advantages of serving different markets from a single AM facility.
-
Quadrus: Powder Management Tactics for Tungsten Rhenium and Other AM Alloys
The expert in additive manufacturing of high-value parts for the Defense Department often must change from one exotic material to another in its powder bed machines. Cleaning is a core competency. Here are lessons of this company’s system for working with an ever-changing mix of 3D printed alloys.
