In the harsh desert of the Yuma Proving Grounds, during an Army project exploring future tech, commanders tested a new alternative: 3D printing a spare part on demand and using semi-autonomous robot delivery to get that spare to the tank in need. In this case, when a tank needed a new part, soldiers in Project Convergence turned to 3D printing. “3D printing gives us an ability to print parts forward, whereas we may not have them readily available or may not be able to get them in the supply chain somewhere in combat or far forward.” Printing parts close to where they are needed, as they are needed, is the kind of behind-the-scenes advance that matters a great deal in a protracted fight. “Communicating with a base of operations, the tank operator was able to describe his location and the part needed, and personnel set to work quickly to obtain the part. They did this by 3D printing the piece using a field-ready 3D printer capable of producing both plastic and metal objects. As this process is refined, resupply of needed parts can often be printed right in the field.” Once in place, a tank crew or nearby friendlies could remove the printed part from the E-MAV and set about getting it in place. While 3D manufacturing for spare parts isn’t the showiest part of the Army’s big exercise on networked warfare, it only works because of the infrastructure in place at Project Convergence.

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