British Army deploys 3D printing in the field

The British Army has pioneered the use of deployable additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3D printing, in field operations, according to a press release.

Through Project Brokkr, the Army has achieved a first for UK Defence by taking the metal manufacturing process out of laboratory settings and making it mobile on the back of a lorry, enabling deployment anywhere in the field.

Project Brokkr is named after Brokkr, a legendary Norse dwarf known for his exceptional metalworking skills. While the components produced by Project Brokkr may not be as mythical as Odin’s spear or Thor’s hammer, their application has significant implications for addressing supply chain challenges and adapting to threats in hostile environments.

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, creates solid objects by building them layer by layer, unlike traditional machining, which reduces a whole piece of material to the desired shape. This method reduces wastage, costs, and environmental impact.

The British Army began embracing additive manufacturing in 2019, led by the Royal Engineers during their deployment to South Sudan on Operation TRENTON. Tasked with refurbishing a school, they used 3D printing to produce plumbing fittings essential for establishing and maintaining a field hospital.

“Usually, these pipe clips you’d buy for 99p at your local DIY superstore, but out here there’s nowhere to go so the only solution was to make them,” remarked one of the engineers in a press release. Initially using basic equipment, the Army quickly saw the advantages and developed a range of 3D polymer printing processes.

The Army has since advanced to 3D cold metal printing, also known as Supersonic Particle Deposition (SPD). This process involves firing metal powder through a nozzle at speeds up to Mach 3, depositing the particles on a substrate to form the desired object. This non-heat method allows for the production of larger objects more quickly than traditional heat-fusing systems.

Project Brokkr, led by 9 Battalion Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME), has ruggedised this high-tech process for field use, making it a tactically deployed asset.

Lieutenant Colonel John Anthistle, Commanding Officer of 9 REME, explained the comprehensive nature of the process: “The manufacture of a component part starts with the design of the object and moves through to the manufacture before going through the post-manufacture processes such as heat treating, milling, and finishing that use many of the more traditional trades and skills that can be found within the Corps.”

While additive manufacturing won’t replace the logistical supply chain, it offers significant advantages by enabling the field production of components, thus improving efficiency, repair speed, and reducing transport costs and carbon footprint.

Currently, 9 REME has deployed the mobile 3D cold metal printing capability during Exercise Steadfast Defender in Sennelager, Germany, in what is termed the ‘Field Army Additive Manufacturing Concentration,’ a first for UK Defence.