This article was originally written and published in Signal magazine.

When the order is given, and U.S. Army deploys soldiers anywhere in the world, their physical and operational training has prepared them for the moment. They have drilled together, learned to operate equipment, and mastered effective teaming. The Army, knowing that successful deployments depend on training, stated clearly in its year-end review of 2022 that “Year in and year out, readiness is at the forefront of what the Army does.” Without the right level of readiness, the mission and soldiers’ lives are at risk.

Overall readiness faces a number of challenges in today’s Army. For example, logistical limitations prevent supplies from potentially getting to their location on time. The COVID-19 pandemic compounded this challenge, causing Department of Defense and U.S. Army leaders to rethink the global supply chain. In some cases, they have pre-positioned equipment around the globe, and in others, they have deployed technology that enables rapid field repairs.

The ability to manufacture materials in the field fits the guidelines of the executive order on America’s Supply Chains and the Department of Defense strategy on Additive Manufacturing. The Army Materiel Command (AMC), which synchronizes logistics and sustainment activities, evaluated and deployed this additive manufacturing capability because of the time and cost associated with traditional equipment repair and replacement. It could take days or weeks for teams in theatre to receive and install parts, which could affect readiness.

Improvisation in the field has always been a hallmark of the Army, and additive manufacturing takes this to a new level. The AMC uses a data repository with specifications on parts, along with computer-aided design drawings, that allows soldiers and technicians to print parts on demand using a 3D printer. The program, known as Additive Manufacturing Digital Thread (AM DT), operates under AMC’s Logistics Modernization Program through collaboration between AMC and private sector partners, including Maximus.

AMC and a team of partners established the foundation of the program by identifying how to support critical functions. For example, to optimize the process for identifying potential candidates—such as specific pieces of equipment—the team assessed what could be created safely and economically using input from soldiers in the field. Likewise, the team developed processes for designating authorized user classifications, certifying and standardizing all 3D parts and materials, as well as cybersecurity efforts related to protecting the entire system.

Other program elements included the migration of the legacy 3D library to a secure system for cataloging, scoring, and certifying the data around the parts, as well as the addition of risk attributes and back-end security so that only authorized users could gain access. End-user, web-based training and materials for the Army Learning Management System were developed with continuous improvement monitoring.

By August 2022, this program matured to be included in the AMC formally approved deployment of 3D printing and integration with the Defense Logistics Agency’s system known as the Joint Additive Manufacturing Model Exchange (JAMMEX). The partner-developed JAMMEX, the central hub for sharing AM datasets such as 3D print files and computer-assisted design models, is available to other military services that want to benefit from the capability.

Readiness takes many forms. For the Army, readiness means empowering soldiers to innovate and create an advantage that improves their performance. AM DT, powered by data and enabled by 3D printing, accomplishes this by demonstrating that the Army is a nimble organization and ready for mission success.

 

Readiness takes many forms. For the Army, readiness means empowering soldiers to innovate and create an advantage that improves their performance. AM DT ... accomplishes this by demonstrating that the Army is a nimble organization and ready for mission success.

Melanie McCarthy

Army Program Manager, Maximus