US Navy Expands Advanced Manufacturing Training with New Systems
The US Navy has installed 24 new advanced manufacturing systems at its training schoolhouse in Danville, Virginia, to enhance sailor proficiency in hybrid and additive manufacturing techniques.
The US Navy has significantly bolstered its advanced manufacturing training capabilities at its schoolhouse in Danville, Virginia, by deploying 12 Phillips Hybrid Manufacturing systems and 12 Markforged X7 composite additive manufacturing systems. This expansion, conducted in partnership with BlueForge Alliance, aims to equip sailors with hands-on experience in metal hybrid manufacturing, composite additive manufacturing, and production-ready workflows.
The Phillips Hybrid systems integrate Haas TM-1P CNC machines with Meltio Directed Energy Deposition technology, enabling both the creation of new parts and the repair of worn components. Concurrently, the Markforged X7 systems will be utilized for the rapid production of tooling, fixtures, prototypes, and replacement parts. This initiative is designed to prepare sailors for manufacturing, repairing, and sustaining critical components closer to where they are needed.
This development aligns with the Navy's broader Deployed Advanced Manufacturing initiatives, which focus on point-of-need production and workforce development. By integrating polymer and metal additive manufacturing into shipboard and shore-based operations, the Navy seeks to improve fleet readiness and sustainment. Previous successes, such as the production of a replacement sprayer plate aboard the USS Bataan, highlight the value of training sailors on production-ready manufacturing technologies before deployment.
Officials noted that training sailors on systems they will encounter aboard ships accelerates readiness and improves sustainment outcomes. The hybrid manufacturing approach, combining additive and subtractive processes, offers a significant advantage by enabling the production and repair of components, thereby reducing reliance on traditional supply chains, especially in contested or remote environments. The Navy's schoolhouse is owned by Naval Sea Systems Command and operated in collaboration with the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.
The US Navy's investment in hybrid and composite additive manufacturing systems for training is crucial for developing a skilled workforce capable of on-demand part production and repair. This initiative directly supports fleet readiness by enabling decentralized manufacturing closer to the point of need, a key strategy for overcoming supply chain vulnerabilities and enhancing operational autonomy, particularly relevant for naval operations in remote or contested environments.
Edited by the news editor with AI from the original report — please refer to the original source.