Published by The Maritime Executive
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Published by The Maritime Executive
Published by The Maritime Executive
Published Nov 6, 2022 8:15 PM by The Maritime Executive
U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has installed a 3D metal printer for stainless steel parts aboard the amphib USS Bataan, expanding on past trials with shipboard 3D printing in plastic and aluminum materials.
The printer aboard Bataan is a Haas TM-1 CNC mill - an affordable toolroom model - with a Meltio 3D laser metal wire print head. Since the print head is built into a CNC mill, the combined system can print up a part in metal and then machine it down to final tolerances, all in the same cabinet. Meltio's system is capable of running on titanium, carbon steel, mild steel and nickel, but for the trial the system will run on 316L stainless, a common shipboard material with excellent corrosion resistance.
The TM-1 is a large cube weighing two tonnes, making it a tough fit for small ships, but the ample space and weight allowances found on an amphib or a carrier are sufficient. NAVSEA additive manufacturing program manager Jim Pluta told Seapower that in future, a 3D metal printer aboard one large ship - like that aboard Bataan - might support the repair needs of a full task force, like an amphibious ready group or a carrier strike group. This would extend the capability for 3D printing to a large share of the fleet, without putting a printer on every ship.
Aboard Bataan, the CNC 3D printer will be used to manufacture repair parts for equipment, including components that are obsolete - a realistic possibility, since the ship was commissioned in 1997. This opens up the possibility of repairing systems which would otherwise have to be fully replaced, without waiting for a return to the pier to do it.
“These printers have the ability to help the Navy overcome both obsolescence issues for ships and systems that have service lives measured in decades and directly contribute to enhanced operational availability of our systems and ships,” said NAVSEA Chief Engineer Rear Adm. Jason Lloyd.
The team also installed a second 3D printer aboard Bataan to print plastic parts. The department has developed digital instructions for printing over 300 plastic objects which might be useful on board, and it is adding to its library.
NAVSEA's additive manufacturing division has been working towards broader adoption of 3D printing for years. It introduced its first 3D-printed metal parts for an aircraft carrier in 2018, gaining acceptance for the technology in a yard application. NAVSEA continues to work on evaluating 3D printing in a shipboard environment, which has its own unique requirements due to vessel motion. The first 3D aluminum metal printer on a ship went aboard USS Essex earlier this year (sponsored by the Naval Postgraduate School).
Published Nov 6, 2022 10:21 PM by The Maritime Executive
Top management at Ports of Auckland has promised to improve financial performance and safety standards after coming under sharp criticism from newly-elected mayor Wayne Brown. Shortly after the election, Brown blasted the council-owned port for low dividend payments, and he outlined his expectations for financial performance, health and safety, emissions and other areas. However, he firmly ruled out any arrangements for the sale of public land or private management by an outside firm. “Ports of Auckland Limited (POAL) has not...
Published Nov 6, 2022 9:47 PM by The Maritime Executive
This summer, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter USCGC James carried out a long-distance patrol to help Ecuador police Chinese squid-jigging operators off the Galapagos Islands. International fisheries patrols are a routine duty for the Coast Guard, and this one initially appeared to be a relatively uneventful board-and-search operation. But new reporting from the AP suggests that this particular mission may have been more tense than described. From late July through at least mid-September, James was patrolling off the Galapagos as...
Published Nov 6, 2022 8:15 PM by The Maritime Executive
U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has installed a 3D metal printer for stainless steel parts aboard the amphib USS Bataan, expanding on past trials with shipboard 3D printing in plastic and aluminum materials. The printer aboard Bataan is a Haas TM-1 CNC mill - an affordable toolroom model - with a Meltio 3D laser metal wire print head. Since the print head is built into a CNC mill, the combined system can print up a part in metal and then...
Published Nov 6, 2022 6:56 PM by The Maritime Executive
In response to the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, the protection of critical maritime infrastructure has gained a newfound priority in the EU. Undersea cables and pipelines play a vital role in European economies, and failure or sabotage can trigger serious impacts. Despite its critical importance, the security of subsea infrastructure has yet to be figured out. An increase in natural disasters, technical failures and terrorist attacks are but a few of the threats. The fact that the maritime critical infrastructure...
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