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The US Navy already has its own 3D printer on board the USS Essex warship. Why can it be essential machinery in the future?
3D printers have become one of the technologies with the longest track record in the field of innovation. After all, the presence of a simple PDF can serve to have a tool ready in just a few hours of work. This, applied to multiple sectors, can make companies gain in productivity in just a few years. Such are the ways of exploring printing technology under this format that there are already buildings being built using this technique.
The US Navy is no stranger to the potential of this technology, so has already begun to carry out a rapprochement to make the most of its virtues. As usual, the defense or military industry is once again one of the first to have a priority development team. It is, without a doubt, a key element that can mark the future of spare parts in ships and aircraft. This is just what seems to be happening after the latest announcement made by the United States Marine Corps.
According to information from ZDNet, ships will be equipped with technology developed by Xerox with the aim of being able to enjoy spare parts quickly for a set of parts vitally important. In the event that a hypothetical attack affected a very specific structure that affected the operation of the ship, a 3D printer would allow the damaged element to be replaced in a very short period of time. This would be the usefulness of this curious proposal in the future.
The USS Essex ship will be the first to have a special 3D printer
The layout of this new technology on the USS Essex warship will allow the crew to have a specially created tool to offer specific parts in case of breakdown or attack by the enemy. This is a very interesting proposal from the point of view of innovation and safety. This becomes even more relevant after seeing how the shortage of components due to the 2020 confinements seems to be taking longer than it should.
A Xerox 3D printer will have its own space on a US warship TCT Magazine
Thanks to this curious solution, you will be able to enjoy a greater number of tools without the need for extra weight on the boat and, of course, you will not have to wait for weeks to receive a specific part. It is, therefore, a technology that could be extended to other ships in the coming months by the multiple advantages that would be obtained in a war scenario. Now, what are some of the characteristics of the model developed by the specialized company Xerox?
Among the parts that this curious technology is capable of developing, the presence of heat sinks, casings, fuel adapters, air bleed valves and valve covers stands out. These are elements that can cause a ship to lose its ability to move, so the incorporation of the printer can be of vital importance. It is important to note that this 3D printer is capable of quickly producing a 25×25 cm piece of aluminum.
Naturally, the personnel who go to develop a specific position with this machine must have a period of training. However, it is a technology that does not require special equipment in terms of clothing, something that facilitates its access. This is so because the machinery itself has a series of safety mechanisms to avoid any possible accident when handling its different tools.
Related topics: Technology
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