SPEE3D Conducts at-Sea Additive Manufacturing During RIMPAC

The recent Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026 exercise, the world's largest joint maritime operation, highlighted extensive use of advanced manufacturing technologies, with the U.S. military framing it as its largest-ever advanced manufacturing demonstration. The Naval Postgraduate School’s Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education (CAMRE) reported the deployment of over 50 advanced manufacturing technologies during the event.

SPEE3D, a company specializing in cold spray additive manufacturing, participated in RIMPAC for the first time by deploying its Expeditionary Manufacturing Unit (EMU) aboard an operational vessel. Collaborating with partners including the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), the Tennessee Army National Guard, and the University of Tennessee’s Defense Development and Applied Research Center (DARC), SPEE3D tested a concept similar to a previous drone-delivered parts exercise, but adapted for a maritime environment.

This year's demonstrations saw SPEE3D and its collaborators produce a total of 32 parts. Twenty-four parts were printed ashore, leveraging a global 'reachback capability,' while the remaining eight were manufactured at sea aboard the MV Asterix, a Royal Canadian Navy supply ship. SPEE3D reported that all but three of these parts were ready for final post-processing, a feat attributed to the EMU's integrated equipment, including a CNC mill.

This at-sea capability represents a notable expansion from SPEE3D's previous RIMPAC demonstration in 2024, where the EMU's capabilities were showcased from shore. The inclusion of a non-U.S. partner and the execution of mobile manufacturing aboard a naval supply vessel underscore the growing international relevance and practical application of additive manufacturing in defense logistics and combined exercises.