Leaders from the 278th Armored Calvary Regiment (ACR) and Field Maintenance Shop-2 (FMS-2) of the Tennessee Army National Guard (TNARNG) and the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory (ARL) recently joined researchers from UT at the Knoxville Armory for a demonstration of cold spray expeditionary manufacturing capabilities and cutting-edge drone technology. These projects could help solve supply chain issues in the U.S. military and will support a directive from the secretary of war to extend advanced manufacturing and additive manufacturing efforts to operational Army units by 2026.
Researchers from UT have worked with DEVCOM ARL for the last five years to build advanced manufacturing capabilities that support military operations in the field. Funding from the Army supports applied research and investment in new technology that advances warfighter readiness. It has allowed the UT team to purchase an expeditionary manufacturing 3D printer that builds Army-relevant parts using metal powder called cold spray additive manufacturing. The partnership with the TNARNG allowed the team to embed the printer in the Knoxville Armory near UT’s campus for the demo.
“The Tennessee Army National Guard, working with UT, is the first unit in the Army to place this ruggedized mobile additive manufacturing capability within an operational unit,” said Bruce LaMattina, executive director for defense and special programs in the Tickle College of Engineering. “This system can produce critical replacement parts that would otherwise take months to procure, enabling rapid repair of Army vehicles closer to the battlefield. This capability keeps units mission-ready and helps get soldiers out of harm’s way, allowing commanders to sustain operations. The 278th ACR here in Knoxville is one of only two armored calvary regiments within the Army and they deploy often to active combat zones. This cold spray process can help transform the Army, increasing combat power and ultimately saving lives.”