How the Navy is Using Additive Manufacturing to Protect Submarine Hatch Bolts

January 29, 2025

Midshipman 1st Class Abby Palaia performs post processing for a Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) plastic dust cap print. SLS was tested with a polyamide-12 or nylon-12 material. Commander, Submarine Forces is researching the usage of additive manufacturing (AM) technology to address operational needs after identifying a need for plastic dust caps, a material item essential for submarine maintenance, in collaboration with midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Submarine Squadron Two (CSS-2), Submarine Squadron Four (CSS-4), and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). (U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Jonathan “Buddy” Slager.)

Commander, Submarine Forces is researching the usage of additive manufacturing (AM) technology to address operational needs, in collaboration with midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Submarine Squadron Two (CSS-2), Submarine Squadron Four (CSS-4), and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY).

CSS-4 identified a need for plastic dust caps, a material item essential for preventing dirt and debris from fouling the heads of submarine hatch tightening bolts, that was not readily available in the U.S. Navy’s supply chain system and had an acquisition time of nearly a year as of August 2024.

To address this shortfall, CSS-2’s AM team consulted with the USNA Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department, where Permanent Military Professor Cmdr. Jonathan “Buddy” Slager, challenged midshipmen with a goal to find a solution.

MIDN 1st Class Abby Palaia and MIDN 1st Class Carolyn Thurlby led initial efforts, with support from Slager, Lt. Derek Pomer, CSS-2, and Alex Kartaszewicz, PNSY. Their manufacturing solution landed on utilizing AM to rapidly produce end use dust caps.

This effort has already produced operational benefits, to include an increase in the completion rate of submarine maintenance tasks and the creation of technical drawings for new AM parts, for addition to the Navy’s library for maintenance and onboard operations.

Plastic dust caps, created by Midshipmen utilizing additive manufacturing technology, are on display at the United States Naval Academy’s Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Department laboratory. (Image: U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Jonathan “Buddy” Slager.)

“This collaboration highlights the value of partnerships between academia and the fleet,” said Vice Adm. Rob Gaucher, commander, Submarine Forces. “The Naval Academy was an obvious initial partner for us, but since launching this effort, we have seen great interest with many potential partner universities. We hope to build more partnerships that will help us get after parts obsolescence and supply chain issues to make our force more ready and more resilient.”

The project utilizes several advanced AM technologies, including Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) with specified materials, creating functional parts that are designed to meet the demands of submarine operations.

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