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The benefits of additive manufacturing have been outlined to the Australian defence industry during a briefing at the Indo Pacific 2023 International Maritime Exposition.
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Additive manufacturing company Markforged presented the “Navigating the Future: Additive Manufacturing Sets Sail with the US and Australian Navy” briefing during the expo in Sydney on 9 November.
The AMDA Foundation-hosted event outlined innovations in the design, development and manufacture using Digital Forge 3D printers, as well as additive manufacturing, enabling manufacturers to print parts at the point of need.
Markforged’s country manager for Australia and New Zealand, Suraj Sethi, said additive engineering could provide innovative solutions to many problems currently faced in traditional manufacturing.
Defence industries, like those in Australia, have been limited by traditional engineering. As the industry moves towards automation, there is an opportunity for companies to print at the point of need, he said.
Companies can also capitalise on additive manufacturing to reduce costs by transitioning from traditional physical inventory comprising multiple spare parts to a more material-focused digital inventory featuring only the additive material and digital designs.
In doing so, companies aren’t held by the wasted space and capital of excess parts in storage and can instead free up that storage real estate, he said.
In addition, it’s hoped additive manufacturing would provide a more competitive field against international products produced in lower-labour-cost countries.
The briefing also featured comments from representatives of Cairns engineering consultancy EDMS Australia as well as Canberra data centre and server room company Secure Bits.
Secure Bits Canberra director Nick Owen detailed the benefits of additive manufacturing in rapid prototypes.
Companies can rapidly design a draft prototype to fit their need, print it overnight and then refine it or present an initial version to clients for immediate feedback, he said.
Companies working on high-security clearance contracts can also print components without having to access partners outside their own network.
Markforged printers have previously undergone field testing with the US Navy this year, and one was installed on the USS New Hampshire, with the US Navy stating that the additive manufacturing opportunities supported “outside-the-box thinking” for sustainment.
Earlier this year, Markforged launched its newest printer in Australia, the PX100 Binder Jetting solution, following 2022’s acquisition of Digital Metal to deliver high-grade metal parts at scale.
The launch of the PX100 Binder Jetting solution printer in Australia is designed to enable businesses to print metal parts with a variety of metals in large volumes. Already, the company’s printers are used in the automotive industry, academia, as well as other industries.
