Collaboration Helps Soldiers Fix Army Vehicles Faster
If a part breaks on an Army vehicle in a battlefield environment, a soldier can’t just drive to the nearest mechanic to get it fixed or buy a part at a nearby store. In some instances, it may take weeks or months to get a new part delivered because of supply chain issues. The situation could potentially put lives at risk.
Finding a way to repair parts quickly in the field is a challenge that has brought together leaders from the military, academia, and industry.
The University of Tennessee is at the forefront of the groundbreaking effort, recently hosting a demonstration that showcased that ability.
The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Army Research Laboratory (ARL) advanced manufacturing demonstration took place in mid-August 2024 at the National Guard Armory in Livingston, Tennessee.
The goal of the exercise was to train soldiers with no previous additive manufacturing experience to print a crucial part that can be used to build or repair equipment in the field or at a deployed location. It was the first field demonstration of its kind with soldiers trained to use the technology.
“In the US, we have exceeded our casting and forging capacity, so there’s a much greater industry need for parts and components than our supply chain can support,” said Katharine Page, an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and a technical project lead for the cooperative agreement between UT and ARL. “This has come to a head in recent years, so additive manufacturing is a potential solution for replacements, fixing the time, effort and availability of things that are holding back the Department of Defense network and industry in general.”
Trained to Fix
UT was put in charge of planning the demonstration, which involved UT faculty, ARL scientists, SPEE3D, an Australian additive manufacturing company, and VRC Metal Systems, a cold spray company, and the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, part of the TN Army National Guard.
Over a two-week span, two soldiers from the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment were trained to use the expeditionary manufacturing equipment—a WarpSPEE3D printer, which uses cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) technology, and VRC’s Brolga-002 mobile cold spray system.
CSAM involves a high-velocity gas jet spraying powder particles onto a substance or surface. The gas jet accelerates the particles up to four times the speed of sound, which allows the metal to bond through mechanical interlocking and metallurgical bonding to coat a surface or create a new part.
MSE Assistant Professor Eric Lass provided the heat treatment needed for the parts being made during the demonstration. Tony Schmitz, the Richard Rosenberg distinguished professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, and director of UT’s Machine Tool Research Center, supplied a Haas VF-4 three-axis CNC milling machine from TN-MADE. Schmitz’s student, Dylan Pollard, was on site to provide machining support to produce the final geometry and surface finish for the parts.
With that integration, we are saving potentially one or two decades of time. There is no program out there like this. Often people are excited about little things we do as faculty. But to me, the biggest benefit for a taxpayer is we are fast-tracking the latest innovations so that we can transition to safeguard our Armed Force members.”
The demonstration involved the soldiers repairing simulated battle damage to a Bradley Fighting Vehicle
In front of an audience of dignitaries, professors, and military and industry leaders, the soldiers printed a Bradley’s transmission mount. The part was then installed in a Bradley and the vehicle was successfully driven through several tactical maneuvers through the 278th ACR local training area as part of a realistic field test. Upon return, the part showed no sign of degradation.
The repair is intended to provide operational capability of the vehicle for a period of time until a certified original equipment manufacturer (OEM) part can be delivered.
“This has been a great experience,” said Army Sgt. Noah Keith, 278th ACR and demo team leader. “The opportunity to work with leading expeditionary manufacturing experts from ARL, industry, and the University of Tennessee has provided me with a first-hand look at some of the truly game-changing capabilities that will help shape future military operations.”
Rewards of Joining Forces
Everyone involved in the demonstration saw the widespread benefits of the collaboration and how much was accomplished.
“We all learned from one another,” Schmitz said. “The needs of the US Army informed the manufacturing processes, including cold spray additive manufacturing and repair and machining. The industry partners learned about combining cold spray and machining from the UT team. The UT team learned about cold spray capabilities from the industry partners. In particular, the UT students who provided the machining support during the event gained exposure to US Army needs and remaining research gaps.”
Dayakar Penumadu, the Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (IAMM) Chair of Excellence, is leading the effort between UT and ARL on characterizing mechanical properties of materials. He is gratified to have scientists, academia, and manufacturers working together to speed up the repair process.
“With that integration, we are saving potentially one or two decades of time,” said Penumadu, the Fred N. Peebles Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “There is no program out there like this. Often people are excited about little things we do as faculty. But to me, the biggest benefit for a taxpayer is we are fast-tracking the latest innovations so that we can transition to safeguard our Armed Force members.”
UT’s group will be taking home some of the components from the demonstration to inspect their structure and property in more detail. If warranted, the group will make suggestions for changing the processing and materials for better performance.
“This been just a really satisfying experience for me because I finally see a way of cutting through this red tape,” Penumadu said. “I feel like we have a program where we are working collaboratively go after something that’s best for the country and for the good of everyone.”