A motion simulation platform, developed by GKN Aerospace and APL, with support from Naval Sea Systems Command, replicates shipboard movement to advance additive manufacturing at sea. Credit: GKN Aerospace
Simulating the seas to make AM fleet-ready
The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory( APL) in Maryland, USA, has partnered with GKN Aerospace to develop a novel capability that simulates shipboard motion for additive manufacturing. This innovative effort, which is funded by the Naval Sea Systems Command’ s Technology Office( NAVSEA 05T), supports the US Navy’ s goal of resilient, ondemand logistics by enabling reliable 3D printing operations aboard naval vessels.
By Katie Kerrigan, John Hopkins APL
As defence operations become more distributed and expeditionary, the ability to produce mission-critical parts at sea is increasingly important. To meet this need, NAVSEA is deploying and integrating advanced manufacturing equipment and capabilities on ships through its Afloat Additive Manufacturing Program. This specific collaboration between NAVSEA, APL, and GKN aims to address one of the unique challenges that printing aboard a moving ship presents- the constant motion caused by waves and manoeuvring- by developing a motion-simulation platform that replicates the dynamic environment of a ship at sea.“ Additive manufacturing at sea could fundamentally change how the Navy maintains and sustains its fleet,” said James Borghardt, APL’ s Maritime Expeditionary Logistics program manager.“ With a proven history of industry collaboration and a continued commitment to partnership, APL is positioned to accelerate this future by uniting commercial manufacturing expertise with our applied research to deliver mission-ready capabilities.”
Synchronised motion While placing a printer on a motion platform might seem like the simplest way to mimic a ship’ s rocking, the size and fragility of industrial-grade 3D printers make that approach impractical. Instead, the team developed a more nuanced solution:
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