U.S. Navy Lays the Keel for 3-D Printing

The U.S. Navy builds and sails some of the world’s largest and most powerful vessels and those ships depend on a wide range of advanced systems and machinery to operate. Now, the Navy is moving toward advanced manufacturing of some of the smallest parts of the biggest ships, approving 3-D printing of a drain strainer for a steam line on the USS Harry S Truman. Shipbuilders say it is the first step toward integrating additive manufacturing into the supply chain. This article takes a closer look at how filling the knowledge gaps in the absence or limited development of 3-D printing standards was a necessary building block in adoption of the technology.