The US Navy has installed Phillips Corporation’s Additive Hybrid, powered by Meltio’s welding technology and a Haas CNC machine, aboard a US Navy ship to create parts and perform repairs.
The Haas CNC vertical machining center onboard the USS Bataan was equipped with a Phillips Additive Hybrid, powered by Haas. This system integrates Meltio’s laser metal deposition technology with the CNC mill, enhancing the ship’s manufacturing capabilities.
This new project uses Meltio’s accessible wire-laser metal 3D printing technology and represents another step towards demonstrating an industrially useful application in the marine sector.
This project utilizes Meltio’s wire-laser metal 3D printing technology, marking a significant step toward demonstrating its industrial applications in the marine sector.
The Meltio Engine 3D printer improves operational availability and reduces reliance on traditional and Navy-specific supply chains.
Meltio has previously collaborated with Haas on other hybrid system projects across various industries and countries, including India, with the support of Phillips India. The Hybrid system combines subtractive and additive manufacturing, and the USS Bataan has been outfitted with this technology as part of a US Navy initiative.
The installation was a joint effort by the Commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic and the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Technology Office. The system includes the Phillips Additive Hybrid, which integrates a Meltio wire-laser metal deposition head with a Haas TM-1 computer numerical control mill.
The Haas TM-1 platform’s dependability has been established through its successful implementation on multiple aircraft carriers, demonstrating its ability to function reliably in a maritime environment. By integrating the Meltio deposition head with the Haas TM-1, a system is created that offers both additive and subtractive manufacturing capabilities. This combination results in increased efficiency and decreased waste compared to traditional machining processes.
Ángel Llavero, CEO of Meltio, commented, “For us, the fact that the US Navy has incorporated Meltio’s wire-laser metal 3D printing solution and Haas hybrid equipment thanks to Phillips Corporation on board the US Navy ship to manufacture spare parts and repair them is the consequence of years of effort and a great vision that we had at Meltio.
“We would like to thank Phillips Corporation for their support in the development of these hybrid systems under the Haas brand, which is the consequence of confirming a technology with enormous industrial applications in the naval and marine sector, in defense, and in all those industrial sectors where it is necessary to be able to manufacture the part when and where it is needed. We are sure that this is the first step in a long way that we will have in this industrial sector of the navy with this and other applications.”
The US Navy has taken a major step toward improving self-sufficiency and reducing supply chain lead times by permanently installing its first metal 3D printer aboard a ship.
Additive manufacturing (AM) more commonly known as 3D printing will allow the engineers to join different materials to make parts from 3D model data, usually layer upon layer, as opposed to subtractive manufacturing and formative manufacturing methodologies.
Whether developing a sophisticated machine part or a quality-of-life item, AM facilitates production at the point of need when time and operational availability matter.
Rear Adm. Brendan McLane, commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic, commented, “The introduction of additive manufacturing (AM) into naval operations supports readiness and self-sufficiency.”
NAVSEA Chief Engineer Rear Adm. Jason Lloyd, continued, “These printers have the ability to help the Navy overcome both obsolescence issues for ships and systems that have service lives measured in decades and directly contribute to enhanced operational availability of our systems and ships.”
