US Navy Approves Year-Long Test of First 3D Printed Part for Shipboard Use

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – A metal drain strainer has been approved as first metal part made with a 3D printer to be installed on a US Navy ship, the Naval Sea Systems Command announced in a press release on Thursday.
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"A prototype drain strainer orifice (DSO) assembly will be installed on USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in fiscal year 2019 for a one-year test and evaluation trial," the release said.

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The DSO assembly is designed to remove water from a steam line while in use, the release said.

After one year, the prototype assembly will be removed for analysis and inspection, the release added.

The US military is exploring the use of additive manufacturing – making parts on site with 3D printers — to cut costs and speed availability of spare parts during deployments in remote locations.

READ MORE: US Navy Wants to Replace Cruisers With Big, Multirole Boats

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