3YOURMIND, Phillips Corp. in NPS Distributed AM Experiment at RIMPAC
3YOURMIND and Phillips Corporation are participating in a Naval Postgraduate School experiment during RIMPAC 2026 to test a command-and-control system for distributed additive manufacturing.
Software developer 3YOURMIND and Phillips Corporation Federal Division are collaborating with the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) on a distributed manufacturing experiment during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. This initiative, running from June 24 to July 31 around the Hawaiian Islands, aims to evaluate a command-and-control system designed to manage additive manufacturing (AM) requests across a joint-force network. The core objective is to demonstrate the capability of producing parts at the point of need within operational settings.
3YOURMIND is providing its commercial software platform to oversee the digital thread, encompassing part identification, order management, and production planning. This system is intended to orchestrate manufacturing requests and direct production tasks within a dispersed network of assets. Concurrently, Phillips Corporation will deploy containerized hybrid AM technology, featuring both milling and 3D printing capabilities, aboard the USS Essex. This setup integrates a part assessment tool with a common operational picture to facilitate production decisions at sea.
This RIMPAC experiment follows two prior technical exchanges: Joint Inter-agency Field Experimentation (JIFX) in California and Valiant Shield in Okinawa, Japan. These preliminary events focused on validating technical compatibility and operational feasibility. The findings from RIMPAC are expected to influence future investment in distributed AM capabilities, with NPS framing the project as applied research to reduce readiness response times, increase capacity for critical systems, and accelerate weapon system iteration.
The broader military context highlights a growing emphasis on AM as a readiness requirement. The U.S. Department of Defense's FY 2026 budget includes a significant increase for AM programs, signaling a strategic priority for on-demand, distributed production. NPS has previously used military exercises to test distributed AM, including efforts at Trident Warrior 2025 and RIMPAC 2024, where part delivery times were drastically reduced.
This experiment signifies a crucial step in operationalizing distributed additive manufacturing for military logistics. By integrating command-and-control software with hybrid AM systems in a large-scale, multinational exercise, it addresses the complex challenge of delivering critical parts rapidly in contested environments. Success here could accelerate the adoption of AM for enhanced readiness and reduced supply chain dependencies, mirroring trends seen in aerospace and defense sectors towards on-demand production.
Edited by the news editor with AI from the original report — please refer to the original source.