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Snowbird 3D Prints 316L Parts Aboard USS Essex During RIMPAC 2026
2026-08-11
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Impact score: 22
During the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026 exercise, US-based Snowbird Technologies used its SAMM Tech system to manufacture 316L stainless steel parts aboard the USS Essex amphibious assault ship. The platform integrates laser-wire directed energy deposition with CNC machining, enabling part fabrication while the vessel is underway.
The demonstration was led by the Naval Postgraduate School's CAMRE consortium as part of a distributed manufacturing experiment, validating the feasibility of producing critical replacement parts on-site, far from shore-based support.
The successful demonstration shows that expeditionary manufacturing can deploy production capability directly to the mission site, significantly reducing dependence on shore-based supply chains and logistics. It opens new defense-related maritime applications for metal additive manufacturing.
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Snowbird在RIMPAC 2026演习期间于USS Essex舰上打印316L部件
2026年环太平洋军演（RIMPAC）期间，美国Snowbird Technologies在埃塞克斯号两栖攻击舰上，用其SAMM Tech系统现场制造了316L不锈钢部件。该平台集成激光丝定向能量沉积与CNC加工，在舰船航渡过程中即可完成零件制造。 此次演示由美国海军研究生院CAMRE联盟主导，属于分布式制造实验的一部分，验证了舰艇在远离基地的条件下就地补充关键零件的可行性。 成功演示表明，远征制造能够将生产能力直接部署到任务现场，显著降低对岸基供应链与后勤补给的依赖，为金属增材制造开辟了国防海上应用的新场景。