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GE-led Consortium Looks to 3D Print Naval Replacement Parts

May 8, 2018

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GE Aviation, GE Additive, and a consortium of companies — Honeywell, Penn State University, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Nuclear National Lab and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining — understand the importance of fast, precise repair of military vehicles, as evidenced by their commitment to a $9-million Navy-funded project expected to take four years. The GE Global Research program looks to produce replacement parts for Navy aircraft and ships using laser powder-bed fusion technology and embedded sensors.

“We are going to embed sensors to actively inform the user about what is going on as the part is being built layer by layer, and when certain defects occur,” says Ade Makinde, principal engineer for additive technologies at GE Global Research and project leader. Makinde says the 3D printer could self-correct if the sensors detect problems, ensuring the level of accuracy necessary for military applications.

For more, www.ge.com/research.

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See also: GE Additive