US Army Eyes Manufacturing Partners for 3D-Printed Humvee Vehicle Parts

The U.S. Army is searching for partners in additive manufacturing of parts for the M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, for which a 3D-printed battery bracket is ready for mass production.

According to Army Research Lab’s Eric Wetzel, team leader for the HMMWV parts project, the M998 3D printed battery bracket is a planned replacement for the vehicle’s standard aluminum bracket battery, Breaking Defense reported.

Fused filament fabrication technology was used to produce the battery bracket, which was followed by a post-annealing process to ruggedize the part. The Maryland Army National Guard will field test the HMMWV 3D-printed battery bracket.

Additive manufacturing simplifies logistics and reduces downtime, according to a report about a U.S. Navy ship that had a part 3-D printed and saved almost half-million dollars while remaining at sea and not docking for repairs.

In May, the Army and SAE Government Technologies announced the launching of their partnership, Additive Manufacturing Commercialization Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan, which makes aluminum parts and tools using a 3D printer and metal miller.