Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) has been selected by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop a state-of-the-art additive manufacturing machine specifically suited for the production of parts for advanced Department of Defense weapon systems.
The $4.4 million contract marks the second phase of the project and aims to overcome the limitations of current AM equipment and improve the production of longer parts for critical defense applications.
Currently, the production of large, advanced weapon system components requires the assembly of multiple smaller AM parts. This leads to challenges such as strength issues, inconsistent mechanical properties and limited design flexibility. By expanding AM capabilities for DoD applications, CTC aims to eliminate these drawbacks and optimize the manufacturing process.
“CTC is committed to advancing manufacturing capabilities and supporting the defense industry’s critical needs,” said Edward J. Sheehan, Jr., CTC President and CEO. “The technical work we are performing for this project includes elements of CTC’s full-service portfolio of AM capabilities including design, testing, post processing, machining, and qualification.”
Under the contract, CTC will finalize the machine design, install the equipment, perform qualification testing and print representative geometries at near full height to ensure optimal performance.
“We are proud of AFRL’s continued trust in our ability to provide value on this important effort,” said Ken Sabo, Senior Director, Manufacturing.
With these technological advances, CTC is demonstrating the potential of 3D printing to revolutionize the manufacturing of complex and large weapon system components, significantly increasing efficiency and quality in the defense industry.
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