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Army 3d printing food


The US Army Wants to Use 3D Printers to Customize Military Meals - 3DPrint.com

MRE #23 – Chicken Breast filled with rib meat meal includes chicken breast, pineapple pound cake, wheat snack bread, Tabasco sauce, sugar, pretzels, peanut butter as well as a spoon, napkins and other non-food items.

The MRE, or Meal, Ready-to-Eat, is a field ration packaging in an individual, self-contained serving that was developed by the US military to provide nutritious meals to service members while in combat or in other situations where organized food preparation is not possible. While the MRE as the military currently knows it became standard issue back in 1986, the history of portable food for soldiers dates all the way back to the Revolutionary War. Those first military rations consisted primarily of beef, peas or rice, portioned out to soldiers daily. By the time the Civil War came around the military started issuing canned foods that were less perishable, eventually issued self-contained food kits. By World War I the military replaced canned meats with salted or dried meats to reduce weight and allow soldiers to carry more rations with them.

The obvious reasoning behind developing field rations is to maintain the health and strength of military personnel, but the US Army quickly learned that providing basic nutrition simply wasn’t enough. During World War II the military introduced multiple varieties of field rations tailored to the needs of soldiers in specific environments, like a jungle ration or a mountain ration. By the time the first MREs were issued there was a menu of twelve different meals available, which quickly expanded to over twenty four in use today, including vegetarian options. The military is constantly researching and expanding MRE options in order to make sure that they are providing soldiers with meals that will be completely consumed and are large enough to satisfy them completely.

Current food 3D printing technology.

So what exactly can the military expect the future MRE to look like? If researchers from the Army’s Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) in Natick, Massachusetts have anything to say about it they will be 3D printed meals that have been customized for each soldier. NSRDEC researchers are in the early development stage of new MRE concepts that could change the way the military eats meals. By combining wearable technology capable of measuring a soldier’s individual physiology with food 3D printers, future MREs will be automatically generated meals that have been tailored for the specific nutritional needs of each soldier. While the new MRE is still a few years out, the technology could be ready for deployment as early as 2025.

Hyrel 3D printer can be converted to print with almost anything, including paste and food materials.

It is expected that within the next decade every soldier will be outfitted with wearable devices that monitor and measure their physiology, as well as their nutritional needs. The collected data will be recorded and at designated times transferred back to base camp or to a quickly set up field kitchen outfitted with several food 3D printers. Software would examine the collected data and determine if the soldier is in need of any specific vitamins or nutrients and include them in the meal that will be 3D printed specifically for them. Meals could take any form available based on the pre-existing ingredients that are available and the nutritional values can be altered automatically.

If a soldier has been awake for an extended period of time then the meal could include some additional caffeine, or foods that promote awareness and would help fight fatigue. If the soldier is low on protein then the meal could add extra nutrients to help supplement the loss. With a food 3D printer the limits on what form the foods can take are virtually non-existent. Entire meals could be 3D printed as full meals, portable chocolate protein bars or even as liquid meals that can be consumed quickly and taken into the field. Because a tall, muscular soldier may need more food than a short or thin soldier, the 3D printer would also determine exactly how much food the soldier needs to maintain optimal health and performance. It could even be programmed to 3D print their meal as a pizza.

3D printed pizza is possible using today’s technology.

Current food 3D printing technology is still a ways off from being adapted for use by the military, as the types of food textures and ingredients available are still limited. Today food products like a peanut butter filled protein bar covered in chocolate can be 3D printed in about a half an hour, however the technology is still extremely new and it will become quicker. If there is anything that can be said about the 3D printing industry definitively, it’s that the development of the technology moves extremely fast. Eventually an entire meal could be 3D printed in a matter of minutes, and hopefully for our soldiers it will be worth the wait. Is this a meal you’d like to try one day? Tell us in the 3D Printed Customized Soldier Meals forum over at 3DPB.com.

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Tagged with: 3D print army • 3d print military • 3d printed food • 3D printed MRE • 3d printed pizza • Army Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center • HYREL 3d • MRE • NSRDEC • US army • US military

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All Tech Considered : NPR

Army Eyes 3-D Printed Food For Soldiers : All Tech Considered The Army has long used high-tech tools to make meals for our troops. Now, military scientists are turning away from pots and pans, and looking to 3-D printers to make nutritious food.

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Army Eyes 3-D Printed Food For Soldiers

Army researchers will try to find ways to 3-D print nutritious food with less heavy packaging than the current military meals. Aarti Shahani/NPR hide caption

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Aarti Shahani/NPR

Army researchers will try to find ways to 3-D print nutritious food with less heavy packaging than the current military meals.

Aarti Shahani/NPR

Army scientists have spent decades concocting meals that last without refrigeration and survive high-altitude airdrops. And now, the Army is eyeing a new form of cooking: 3-D printing! Yes, food that comes fresh out of a printer, for our troops.

Lauren Oleksyk, a food technologist leading the team at the Army's Natick research center, lays out the vision.

Imagine soldiers who are strapped, head to toe, with sensors that measure if they're high or low in potassium or cholesterol.

"We envision to have a 3-D printer that is interfaced with the soldier. And that sensor can deliver information to the computer software," Oleksyk says. "And then they would be able to have either powdered or liquid matrices that are very nutrient dense, that they have on demand that they can take and eat immediately to fill that need."

"Liquid matrices" that are nutrient "dense. " And you print them?!

You read that right.

The Army is turning to 3-D printers for many purposes, including a nutrition project — to stamp out the equivalent of PowerBars, but personalized for the battlefield.

The Department of Defense has just approved research funding. And it's going to take a lot of research. While regular printers put ink on paper, 3-D printers blast liquids and powders into complex shapes. But it's not clear if printers could mold a solid like carrots — and what would happen to the food's nutritional value.

"There's synthetic types of meats, there's real beef, there's real meat," Oleksyk says. "And we would see what that does in the printing process to that protein, whether it's animal based or plant based." She's talking about this research with the MIT Lincoln Lab and NASA too.

Of course, the 3-D food will have to pass a taste test, just like the current rations — which are called MREs, or meals ready to eat.

Oleksyk mailed me a bunch to sample. I try a jalapeno pepper jack-flavored patty. It is full of flavor, and also very processed, like someone had to jam a lot into a little patty.

The kitchens that make this patty use flaming hot ovens and extreme heat to sterilize it. Oleksyk says if 3-D printers could use less heat, the patty could also taste better — less like a compact muscle and more like fresh ground meat.

"We hope so! It's not being done, so it's something that we will investigate in our project," she says.

In the food world, 3-D printing is just getting started — and it's a sweet start, literally.

Liz von Hasseln is giving me an online video tour of The Sugar Lab, a 3-D printing outfit in Los Angeles that turns sugar into sweet candy sculptures for wedding cakes and fancy cocktails. The startup was acquired by 3D Systems, which is sharing its technology with the military in informal talks.

She points to a printer that's the size of an industrial photocopier and explains, "What the printer does is, a lot like making frosting in a bowl, it basically adds the wet ingredients of the frosting to the dry ingredients very, very precisely in very fine layers. "

Von Hasseln sent me some samples to try — and they're very different from the military food. I unwrap a delicate sphere that's a little bigger than a lollipop. It tastes like Sweet Tarts.

It's hard for me to imagine this technology producing anything nutritious or durable. But von Hasseln husband, Kyle, co-founder of The Sugar Lab, says the printer's ability to vary textures — to make food soft or hard — would be critical for soldiers who are injured or on the move.

"Dialing in the exact density of food could mean that they could eat more easily and because of that, as a consequence, they might even eat more or be healthier," he says.

3-D printed food sounds sci-fi. But according to military scientists and 3-D experts, these meals for soldiers are on track to be ready by 2025.

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3D printers in military service - big overview

Overview: 3D printers in military service.

Source: https://all3dp. com/

The military industry has always been at the forefront of progress: many inventions either began their life as military or dual-use products, or, in the very first years after their appearance, were involved in this area . In this age of digital technology, this fate has not escaped 3D printing.

3D printers are actively used by military contractors and direct employees of all branches of the military. nine0009 In this article, we will talk about the use of 3D printing in the military-industrial complex around the world: from providing military equipment with spare parts, to operational printing of drones and buildings anywhere in the world.

In Russia,

JSC "Federal Research and Production Center "Titan-Barricades", which develops missile systems and military vehicles, has bought and uses in prototyping a kit based on an XJRP SPS450B 3D printer. The kit consists of two devices: directly a 3D printer with a large print area, working on SLA technology, and a polymer curing chamber. nine0009

XJRP SPS450B 3D Prototyping Kit.
Source: http://pechat3d.ru/

The 3D printer is planned to be used to create miniatures of future parts, cases or mechanism assemblies. The first product made on this 3D printer was a prototype wheel with a tread.

Ilyushin specialists plan to produce some simple parts for the Il-112V military transport aircraft using 3D printing. nine0003

Model of the Il-112V transport aircraft.
Source: © ITAR-TASS

Together with specialists from the Voronezh Aircraft Plant (VASO), PJSC Il specialists use 3D-printed parts as test samples, which will be replaced with originals made by the classical method before departure. But in the future, it is planned to master the printing of simple components that will be installed on mass-produced aircraft. nine0003

Pavel Chernikov, First Deputy General Director of PJSC Il, said: “The IL-112V is being created from scratch, and many parts and components need to be improved during installation on the aircraft. We started using a 3D printer to see how right or wrong our calculations were. Such technologies make it possible not to interrupt the finalization of finished products, which, in turn, significantly reduces the installation time of equipment and reduces the cost of the production process.”

Research and Production Corporation "Uralvagonzavod" named after F. E. Dzerzhinsky purchased a 3D printer S-Max manufactured by ExOne. nine0003

ExOne S-Max 3D printer.
Source: http://3dtoday.ru/

This printer is designed for making sand molds. Molds are used for casting metal blanks. As the deputy chief metallurgist of NPK Uralvagonzavod said: “We will no longer have to manufacture expensive foundry equipment for experimental, new products and complex castings of small series. It will be enough for a designer to develop a 3D model of the required casting, according to which, also in 3D, the mold is made. The finished cores will go to the foundry. In addition, they can be transported to solve the problems of the corporation over any distance." nine0003

A sand mold produced by the S-Max 3D printer, used for casting metal blanks.
Source: http://3dtoday.ru/

This is not the first professional 3D printing system that Uralvagonzavod uses. In 2015, the company purchased a Fortus 400mc 3D printer manufactured by Stratasys Corporation. This printer is used in the production of parts for the T-14 "Armata" tank and other vehicles manufactured by Uralvagonzavod. nine0003

Tank T-14 ("Object 148") on the platform "Armata".
Source: OAO NPK Uralvagonzavod

Representatives of the enterprise note that the introduction of 3D printing saves time and production resources. It is not required to spend forces on turning metal samples. If a part doesn't fit, it's easier to reprint it than remake it.

Russian Helicopters Holding, according to its CEO Andrey Boginsky, plans to 3D print about a hundred parts for rotorcraft by 2020. nine0003

Andrey Boginsky.
Source: © Yuri Smityuk/TASS

In 2018-2019, it is planned to conduct a series of bench tests in order to obtain all the necessary certificates for printed parts by mid-2020. In total, it is planned to test about a hundred parts and assemblies.

Compared to traditional parts, 3D-printed parts are lighter and their production will be deployed at the Kazan Helicopter Plant. As a result of the use of parts obtained by 3D printing, the holding plans to reduce the cost of products. nine0003

In the world

The road of army 3D printing is not paved with roses. When we hear about cool 3D printed military projects, we have to consider some of the challenges that come with doing them.

Soldiers get acquainted with FORTUS.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Quality certification problem. Many things that the army is supposed to produce using 3D printing are designed for harsh operating conditions, they are subject to high requirements for compliance with dimensions, geometry and quality, and an unsuccessfully printed part can lead not only to monetary losses, but also to the death of soldiers . This issue will most likely be resolved by certification of the 3D printers themselves. nine0003

Insufficient printing speed for the army. Even the most expensive 3D printer is not fast enough. There are also issues of privacy/security, copyright, and many other little things that are not obvious at first glance.

While these issues are being addressed, the US Department of the Navy has decided to host a 3D printing hackathon. 12 organizations were invited to participate, which showed their developments in the field of 3D printing for the Navy. According to the participants, fully or partially printed inventions: “Allow to improve the ability to maintain combat readiness.” nine0003

One of the new and memorable developments was the four-legged transporter robot (MeRlin). It turned out to be quite compact and can run, jump and walk up and down stairs. Three-dimensional printing made it possible to create, right in the supporting frame of the robot, a hydraulic manifold that serves to transfer energy to the robot drives. Those interested in robotics will find Merlin similar to the transport robots of Boston Dynamics.

The device of the robot MERLIN (Merlin).
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Aviation

A 3D-printed drone was launched from one of the British Royal Navy ships at sea, HMS Mersey. The device was created in collaboration with the University of Southampton.

Launch of a 3D printed drone. nine0021
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Body made of nylon, laser sintered. With a wingspan of one and a half meters, the drone weighs only three kilograms. The main task of this project was to create a small drone for exploring the surroundings, which can be quickly printed on board the ship.

The drone, named SULSA, was equipped with a small video camera. Management was carried out by researchers from Southampton using video cameras. The flight, with a range of 500 meters, lasted only a few minutes, but proved that 3D printed drones could be launched from the sea. nine0003

The route of the SULSA drone during a test flight.
Source: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/

3D printing solves the problem of ship capacity by allowing equipment to be printed at sea as needed. The only thing you need to have on board to print a drone is a 3D printer and a supply of nylon, which is disproportionately cheaper than a case made using traditional technologies, and takes up much less space. nine0003

The only drawback is the print speed, but it is expected to improve in the near future. Engineers from the American Army Research Laboratory (ARL) are trying to fight this shortcoming. They are developing drones that can be made within a day. Engineers are building drones that can be used to assist soldiers in communication, delivery, and aerial surveillance.

Eric Sopero demonstrates his drone to US military personnel. nine0021
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Drones are made using off-the-shelf motors and propellers, but their body is almost entirely 3D printed. The maximum speed of the drone is 55 miles per hour. Drones can either be controlled by the operator from the remote control or operate in a completely autonomous mode. Work continues to reduce noise and increase flight range, maneuverability and payload.

The US Army is partnering with the Marine Corps to develop an unmanned vehicle parts catalog that can be downloaded to an employee's tablet. The software of this catalog allows you to order or 3D print a product directly from it. nine0003

American soldier with a drone.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

In addition to experiments with drones, 3D printing is also used in “big” aviation.

For example, the US Air Force has announced that it will 3D print toilet seats for military transport aircraft. The announcement comes after a scandal erupted when data were released that each toilet seat cost the Air Force $10,000 to replace. nine0003

Airplane seat for $10,000.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The public, which already believed that the government did not always save on military spending, was extremely outraged. After an investigation initiated by one of the senators, the military department announced that it would print toilet seats on 3D printers.

Why is the toilet lid so expensive? These covers were mass-produced by Lockheed Martin, and in 2001 this giant of the military industry stopped their production. In addition, the military department explained that the C-5 toilet seat is not only a cover, but also part of the lavatory wall, which is designed to protect the body of the aircraft from corrosion that can be caused by urine. nine0003

According to the manufacturer, its high cost is due to the need to suspend the production of other goods. In the case of independent production of the Air Force, the spare part will cost only $300.

The manufacturer now claims that the US Air Force does not own the copyright to this cap. It is not known how this lawsuit will end, but the Air Force says that they will no longer buy this spare part, because they can make it themselves much cheaper.

As stated by the department: “The use of 3D printing allows us to create parts that are no longer being produced, resulting in significant cost savings. ” nine0003

C-5 transport aircraft.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Another example of 3D printing was demonstrated by the Maryland Marines. Using 3D modeling and 3D printing, they made a $70,000 F-35 fighter jet part for just 9 cents. The Marines were assisted by Sam Pratt, a mechanical engineer in the design office of the Carderock Additive Technology Factory. nine0003

Sam revealed that he was with a support platoon in South Korea teaching CLB-31 Marines how to design 3D models and how to use 3D printing. His main task was to test the performance of 3D printers on marine vessels. He also taught employees how to use Solidworks CAD.

Sam Pratt talks to the Marines about 3D printing.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

When there was a problem printing a part needed to repair an F-35, a Marine officer offered to team up to cooperate. It turned out that the employees had already developed this part, but could not find the right dimensions. The fact is that they used a hobby-grade 3D printer and the free 3D editor Blender - Blender is ideal for implementing art projects, but it is difficult to create engineering products in it.

American Marine at the 3D printer.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Pratt helped with modeling and printing issues, the part was printed in PET-G.

Currently there are about 90 parts for ground vehicles that are approved for 3D printing in the military, you can download one of these parts and print it.

Large manufacturers are also moving forward and mastering 3D printing technologies. Thus, the giant of the aviation and military industry Lockheed Martin is actively investing in 3D printing. nine0003

Lockheed Martin uses 3D printing in its manufacturing processes, with over a hundred 3D printers in its arsenal for prototyping, tooling and printing finished products.

There are several reasons why Lockheed Martin uses 3D printing:

  • Reducing the time of production of products - up to 80%;
  • Reducing the weight of parts - up to 40%;
  • Proven reliability of parts in difficult conditions;
  • The most important thing is the possibility of an additional increase in production in the near future. nine0388

For example, it takes 18 to 20 months to manufacture fuel tanks for spacecraft using traditional technologies. The production of such a tank by 3D printing takes two weeks. In this case, a better uniformity of the structure of the tank elements is achieved. The tanks are manufactured using a Sciaky printer using EBAM (Electron Beam Direct Manufacturing) technology, in which a bar of metal material is heated by an electron beam.

nine0021
Lockheed Martin uses 3D printing in its manufacturing processes.
Source: https://all3dp. com/

Lockheed Martin's 3D printed products have already passed the lab testing stage and are in active use. Some of them travel around our solar system: the Jupiter-exploring Juno satellite has eight 3D-printed brackets, and the Orion spacecraft uses printed high-pressure valves. nine0003

Fleet

South Korea is 3D printing loudspeaker grilles for aircraft carriers. Shipping these gratings from Europe took up to seven months and cost $612 each. The printed part is made in 4-5 hours and costs about $35. Printing parts reduces their cost and production time, and localization of production reduces dependence on foreign supplies, which may be delayed or become unavailable for various reasons.

General Electric has contracted with the US Navy to develop software for rapid 3D printing of spare parts for ships, aircraft and other critical military installations. The contract, worth nine billion dollars, is designed for four years and provides for the creation of technology "digital duplicates" - a complex of software, base models and hardware. This technology will be used both for those spare parts that are no longer manufactured, and for new parts of ships and aircraft. nine0003

Concept Laser M2 3D printer printing with metal powder.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The project is being implemented in two stages: at the first stage, software and hardware parts will be developed, at the second stage they will be combined into a complex capable of quickly creating the necessary products using laser metal melting technology (DMLM).

Ammunition and small arms

The US Army has designed and 3D printed a fully functional grenade launcher called "R.A.M.B.O". The development of the grenade launcher took about six months. He fires 3D printed grenades

R.A.M.B.O. grenade launcher
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The grenade launcher consists of 50 parts, all of which, with the exception of springs and hardware, are printed on a 3D printer. nine0003

3D printed parts of the R.A.M.B.O.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

R.A.M.B.O. demonstrated characteristics similar to the M203 underbarrel grenade launcher made in the traditional way.

A US Marine team is 3D printing and testing small explosive containers that can be used on the battlefield. nine0003

3D printed container for explosives.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The development of small arms began in the private sector, with the most primitive pistols. On the Internet, you can find drawings of products such as the sensational Liberator. The first 3D printed pistol was printed on a professional Stratasys Dimension SST printer. The gun is chambered for 9 caliber rounds.mm and is charged during assembly.

A gun whose main components are made of plastic and printed using a 3D printer. Frame: YouTube.
Source: YouTube

The very possibility of obtaining weapons using 3D printing so excited the public that the drawings of the "Liberator" were withdrawn from public access, and the United States introduced a ban on 3D-printed weapons. nine0003

Solid Concepts has created a replica of the .45 Browning M1911 pistol, the Solid Concepts 1911 DMLS, using selective metal laser sintering. The first sample withstood 50 shots, later ones are capable of firing 600 shots without visible damage.

A working replica of a .45 Browning pistol M1911 - Solid Concepts 1911 DMLS, made by selective metal laser sintering. nine0021
Source: Solid Concepts Inc

Recently, the ban on the distribution of 3D printed weapons was lifted by a court decision. So, it is now possible to print weapons in the USA, with some restrictions: they can be no more than 50 mm in caliber and models cannot be freely available. This ban was easily circumvented by Defense Distributed, which posted models of their rifle for sale on one of the online services.

M4 rifle from Defense Distributed.
Source: https://depositphotos.com/

“Our models are not in the public domain because customers pay money for them,” a company spokesman said.

Uniforms and protection

The Vatican decided to use 3D printing technology for the production of traditional Swiss Guard headdresses. nine0003

Swiss Guard.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The Swiss Guard is the personal bodyguard of the Pope. From time immemorial, their form was made of metal, but now they have decided to keep up with the times. A 3D printed helmet will be significantly cheaper and, more importantly, lighter.

3D printed helmet prototype.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The helmets are made of PVC and bear the coat of arms of Pope Julius II, who founded the Swiss Guard in 1506.

The US military turned to the creators of the Iron Man costume, a movie character, for help in creating uniforms for the soldier of the future. The military commissioned Legacy Effects to develop and print the prototype components for the TALOS Special Outfit Kit. nine0003

TALOS will contain a cooling system to maintain a comfortable temperature in the suit, a tactical display and an integrated exoskeleton.

The concept of the uniform of the future - a set of special uniforms TALOS.
Source: http://3dprintingindustry.com/

The studio team will join the large team already working on the project, which includes bioengineers, combat veterans and technologists. nine0003

Building

The US Army Research Engineering Team printed a large building in just 21 hours. The area of ​​the building is 47.5 square meters. The barrack-style building is the result of a three-year US Army Construction Engineering Research (ACES) program with a laboratory in Champagne, Illinois.

3D printed barracks.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Such a short construction time means that such temporary structures will become more affordable with the development of 3D printing. These buildings can be used as housing for refugees or temporary housing in case of natural disasters.

The process of building a 3D printer.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The building looks like an ordinary house, but in the future such buildings can be given any look. Such buildings are also more energy efficient than traditional ones - they require less energy for heating and cooling.

ACES cuts the amount of building materials used in half. Reducing the need for labor is 62%, compared with the construction of plywood structures.

Laying concrete mix with a construction 3D printer. nine0021
Source: https://all3dp.com/

ACES allows buildings to be printed using local materials.

Self-Sufficiency

A collaboration between the US Army Research Laboratory and the Marine Corps has led to the development of a technology to produce 3D printed PET filament from plastic waste such as water bottles.

According to the military, water bottles and plastic packaging are the most common litter on the battlefield. Both US and allied forces produce large amounts of this waste, and the ability to recycle it will reduce the cost of transporting raw materials. The filament obtained from recycled materials, provided that it is properly cleaned and dried, is completely equivalent in tensile strength to its analogue from primary raw materials. nine0003

Joint work of employees of the Research Laboratory of the US Army and the Marine Corps.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

A plant is being developed, housed in a standard shipping container, that will allow the production of filament from waste.

The US Army is also developing food printers. Their advantages are obvious:

  • the possibility of reducing the cost of food, compared with the traditional delivery of rations from abroad;
  • the possibility of compiling an individual menu, in accordance with the preferences of each soldier;
  • the possibility of individual balancing of the diet, depending on the dietary needs of each soldier.

The printer, like classic 3D printers, stacks components in layers.

nine0022
3D printed food.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The printer uses the ultrasonic agglomeration method to 3D print small snacks.

Electronics

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Lowell have developed a new way to 3D print conductive components for radar systems. They have created a new type of ink that allows radars to be made using 3D printing. nine0003

Electronic components obtained by 3D printing.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The development was sponsored by Raytheon, one of the defense industry companies.

According to the developers: “The use of this technology makes it possible to obtain cheaper and more versatile systems than those obtained by classical methods. This technology has obvious advantages in the military sphere, but it can also be used in civilian industry, for example, in the production of weather stations or unmanned vehicles. The main problem was obtaining ink with desired properties, capable of working with high-frequency radiation.” nine0003

Applying ink to a plastic plate.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The 3D printer is equipped with two heads with different operating principles. One applies the ink by spraying, the second fixes them by microvibration. Radar system components such as a voltage controlled capacitor (varicap), phase shifter (for electronic control of phase array radar systems) and frequency filters can be manufactured using this technology. nine0003

The ink material is based on nanoparticles that can be injected into molten plastic and then solidify with it, creating conductive structures.

The US Air Force Research Laboratory teamed up with American Semiconductor to create a silicon-polymer memory chip.

Using 3D printing technology, they have developed a new ultra-flexible chip with built-in sensors.

Dan Berrigan holding the new flexible chip.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

According to American Semiconductor, the thickness of the silicon wafer is 2000 angstroms. This tiny chip can measure humidity levels, temperature, muscle fatigue, and so on. This makes it ideal for use in new technologies for monitoring the well-being of wounded soldiers or the elderly.

Flexible electronics technology is being developed not only by research laboratories, but also by industry giants. nine0003

Apple, Boeing and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology formed an alliance to collaborate with the US Department of Defense in the field of flexible electronics.

The goal of the alliance is to have high quality flexible electronics by 2020.

The Department of Defense plans to provide a consortium called the FlexTech Alliance with $75 million over 5 years and raise $96 million in additional funding.

Smart clothes.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

The consortium includes 96 companies, 11 specialized laboratories, 42 universities and 14 state and regional organizations. The key partners of the consortium are Apple, Boeing, General Electric, General Motors, Lockheed Martin, Motorola Mobility, Qualcomm and many others. Partner universities include Cornell, Harvard, Stanford, New York University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. nine0003

Practical applications will be primarily focused on military targets, such as uniforms with vital sign monitors. Pressure sensors can also be installed on vehicles to monitor deformation in key areas.

The civilian application of such microcircuits will help athletes control body function and improve performance, and people suffering from cardiovascular disease, control and prevent seizures. This technology will allow hospitals to monitor their patients en masse. nine0003

Concepts or Looking Ahead

British scientists and engineers are working on growing military drones using chemical technology.

Hydroponic chemputter.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Military developers explore all possible and impossible technologies. In this case, they are working on a "chemcomputer". “Chemputer” is a registered trademark of BAE Systems. The technology is being developed by Professor Lee Cronin of the University of Glasgow and is a 3D printing of biomaterial drones and aircraft. nine0003

Unlike classic 3D printers, a chemputter performs chemical reactions at the molecular level, creating everything from electronics to wings.

Drone prototypes.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

While British scientists are inventing new technologies in printing for the military department, simple makers are creating weapons of the future using conventional 3D printers. nine0003

So, David Wirth created a hand railgun in his workshop.

David Wirth with his railgun.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Possibly inspired by the computer game Quake, he created this weapon using CAD, a 3D printer and an Arduino platform. The railgun can use aluminum or graphite bullets as ammunition, firing them at a speed of 250 m/s. The design is based on six huge capacitors, which, with a total weight of about nine kilograms, store more than 1800 joules of energy for each shot. The railgun also consists of batteries, two parallel contact rails and a pneumatic ammunition supply system. nine0003

Diagram of a railgun by David Wirth.
Source: https://all3dp.com/

Conclusion

3D printing technology is increasingly used in the military. The main role in its promotion is played by the need to reduce costs. On-site 3D printing of parts helps to solve the problems of logistics and supply, allowing you to save time and money on delivery, which is important for the army and aviation, and even more so for the navy - it is impossible to foresee ashore and take with you everything that you might need, and delivery boarding at sea is expensive. nine0003

We have cited only a small part of the military cases as examples - it is impossible to describe in one article all the prospects for the use of 3D printing in the military industry. And most of the solutions used by the military in production are also relevant for the civilian sector.

You can buy a 3D printer for production in Top 3D Shop — our experts will help you choose the best equipment for solving any tasks.

. 112V, corporation "Uralvagonzavod", 3D printer S-Max

The US Army is looking into ways to create food for soldiers using 3D printing

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The US Army is exploring ways to use 3D printing to produce food for soldiers. The mission of these studies is to develop new food production technologies to make them suitable for the military field, said Lauren Oleksik from the research center in Natick.

Military experts expect that 3D food printing will ultimately reduce costs, as all food can be printed if needed. Researchers visited MIT's Lincoln Lab to discuss the possibility of using 3D printing to produce advanced food for the military. nine0003

Oleksik credits her team as pioneering how 3D food printing can be used to meet soldier needs.

“We need a three-year shelf life for a customized diet,” Oleksik said. "We're interested in being able to print food designed to meet the nutritional needs of soldiers, and then apply another new process to increase its shelf life, if necessary."

3D printing can be used to produce complex multi-material products simply by using a separate print head. Food printing uses cartridges filled with ingredients that are applied layer by layer. 3D food printing enables the creation of a fully regulated diet and helps turn alternative ingredients into delicious foods that are not only healthy but also environmentally friendly. nine0003

Oleksik said they are looking into ultrasonic sintering to produce compact snacks. By combining 3D printing with this process, nutritious, long-lasting foods could be produced.

Food technologists hope to use 3D printing to create nutrient-dense food that can be eaten in the same environment as the US military, before or after battle.

“If you are missing any nutrients, you can add them. For example, if you didn’t have enough protein, you could add meat to pizza, ”explained Oleksik. nine0985

Another possible application of 3D printing would be pizza making: baking, packaging and nutrition.

In the future, the process of creating something from scratch may take on a completely different meaning.

“Assuming troops are on the move all the time, we could feed them or give them a compact printer that allows soldiers to print food when they need it, using the ingredients that are provided to them, or even whatever they can find under hand, - said Oleksik.

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