U.S. Navy to install metal additively manufactured part on aircraft carrier
January 29, 2019
The metal additively manufactured pipe assembly, set for installation on aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman (Courtesy Huntington Ingalls Industries)
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)’s Newport News Shipbuilding division, Virginia, USA, has delivered its first metal additively manufactured part to the U.S. Navy for installation on an aircraft carrier. The part is a a piping assembly which will be installed on the USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75) and evaluated for a one-year period.
The part was presented to Rear Admiral Lorin Selby, Naval Sea Systems Command’s Chief Engineer and Deputy Commander for Ship Design, Integration, and Naval Engineering, in a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, Virginia.
The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) last year approved the technical standards for Additive Manufacturing after collaboration with HII and industry partners to test parts and materials, extensive development of an engineered test programme, and publishing of the results.
Charles Southall, Newport News’ Vice President of Engineering and Design, stated, “We are pleased to have worked so closely with our Navy partners to get to the point where the first 3D metal part will be installed on an aircraft carrier.”
“The advancement of Additive Manufacturing will help revolutionise naval engineering and shipbuilding,” he continued. “It also is a significant step forward in our digital transformation of shipbuilding processes to increase efficiency, safety and affordability. This is an accomplishment we all should be proud of.”
