The Navy's Strategic Bet on 3D Printing to Revitalize Shipbuilding Manufacturing
By
Sam LaGrone
Summary
The U.S. Navy is investing heavily in 3D printing (additive manufacturing) to address the decline of traditional casting and forging suppliers. Based in Danville, Virginia, the Navy's efforts focus on producing complex metal parts for warships using large-scale 3D printers, aiming to revitalize domestic manufacturing, reduce supply chain vulnerabilities, and accelerate shipbuilding and maintenance. The article explores the technology's potential, current limitations, and strategic importance for naval readiness.
Source
bskyThe Navy's Strategic Bet on 3D Printing to Revitalize Shipbuilding Manufacturingnews.usni.orgKey quotes
· 3 pulledAt the height of the 600-ship Navy shipbuilding boom in the 1980s there were more than 2,000 casting and forging businesses in the U.S.
Forty years later, the forging supplier base is a fraction of its 20th-century peak.
Dozens of miles from an interstate or a major airport, a tiny mill town in the Virginia piedmont is the crucible for next-generation manufacturing for the Navy.
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