Major advances in 3-D printing have revolutionized manufacturing industries, allowing aerospace and defense suppliers to build systems with unparalleled complexity and functionality. At the same time, these innovations are resulting in reduced supply chains, part counts, and overall production costs. Such developments may also lead to innovations in logistics, enabling parts production on-demand, reducing dependence on warehousing, long requisition lead times, and a sometimes obsolete vendor base. In this session, public and private sector organizations who are involved in 3-D printing will explain, demonstrate, and discuss where we are and where innovations are headed (from micro-robots to multi-material manufacturing). Additionally, they will explore current challenges to accelerating 3-D printing’s mainstream adoption. The panel also will tie these advances to opportunities and challenges for the Intelligence Community missions in the future.
Focus Questions:
What are the breakthrough applications in manufacturing with 3-D printing?
How has our view of the supply chain changed with the advent of reliable 3-D printing of parts, and what are the implications for Intelligence, Defense, and Security?
What are current challenges to ensuring adequate repeatability for developing qualification processes?