Session 6: RF & Security

Operationalizing Printed Electronics & Additive Manufacturing to Enhance Warfighter Capabilities and Strengthen the Organic Industrial Base
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
8:00 AM - 8:25 AM

The US Army and its strategic partners are utilizing printing technologies to realize the massive benefits and advantages now achievable. Additive Manufacturing, is changing the way military systems are designed, fabricated, tested, monitored, and manufactured. The ability to “print” designs that currently cannot be manufactured while removing component integration and geometry barriers is resulting in new enhanced functionality and allowing the DOD to fabricate at the "Point of Need" and revolutionize the orgainc industrial base. Recent advances in materials, process, and equipment will directly benefit current and future systems. By integrating printed electronics, polymers, metals, and energetics into/onto 3D structures, new solutions and applications can be realized to enhance our Warfighters’ capabilities. These technologies have allowed revolutionary changes in design, materials, and fabrication of components and sub-systems for numerous military applications. These capabilities are helping the DOD and its strategic partners to capitalize on these technological breakthroughs and to develop systems that are “smarter,” more rapidly deployable, lighter and smaller. Total Life-Cycle benefits from design to de-mil are being realized through the advancement of additive manufacturing. Unique military considerations, current technology barriers, and recent applications for military and the Defense Industrial Base will be discussed.