Army Advances Additive Manufacturing From Experimental Tech to Enterprise Sustainment Tool

April 10, 2026

The establishment of the Army’s new Additive Makerspace in New Jersey reflects a broader trend within the U.S. military to leverage the power of additive manufacturing. Similar innovation labs have been opened at other U.S. Army and Department of War locations, including the Maneuver Innovation Lab at Fort Moore, Georgia, and the Airborne Innovation Lab at Fort Bragg. (Image: U.S. Army photo by Todd Mozes)

The U.S. Army’s adoption of additive manufacturing took another major step forward in March with the opening of a new “Additive Makerspace” at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey, alongside program updates shared by leadership from the Army Materiel Command and the Tank‑Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) during the 2026 Association of the United States Army Global Force Symposium and Exposition.

The newly opened Additive Makerspace facility features more than 50 3D printers that will be used to design, prototype, and manufacture parts for Army vehicles, aircraft, weapons systems, and other platforms. The facility is managed by the Analysis, Materials, and Prototyping Directorate (AMPD) under the Armaments Center’s Munitions Engineering Technical Center.

More than 50 3D printers make up the facility which offers a range of advanced 3D printing technologies and material options, providing engineers the ability to design and produce work through additive manufacturing processes. (Image: U.S. Army photo by Todd Mozes)

“Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, constructs 3D objects layer by layer from digital computer‑aided design models, supporting materials such as plastics, metals, ceramics, and composites,” the Army notes in a press release on the new facility. “It reduces costs and accelerates development by enabling complex, customized designs that are difficult or impossible with traditional manufacturing.”

The establishment of the new makerspace reflects a broader trend across the U.S. military to leverage additive manufacturing. Similar innovation labs have been opened at other U.S. Army and Department of Defense locations, including the Maneuver Innovation Lab at Fort Moore, Georgia, and the Airborne Innovation Lab at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

These facilities empower civilians and Soldiers to turn ideas into tangible solutions, fostering a culture of bottom‑up innovation.

Composite Fabricator Supervisor Daniel Izcano assembles the 3D printed manufacture replacement tail fin for the UH-60 helicopter at the Army depot facility in Corpus Christi, Texas. (Image: U.S. Army photo by Jerry Duenes)

From forward‑deployed units in remote locations to major depots stateside, the Army is using 3D printing to keep equipment operational and give Soldiers a critical edge. The ability to rapidly prototype and manufacture components on demand is a key advantage in a contested logistics environment.

The technology is being used to fabricate everything from simple plastic buckles to complex metal vehicle components, demonstrating a transformative impact on military operations.

During a Warrior’s Corner session at the 2026 AUSA Global Force Symposium and Exposition, experts from the Army sustainment enterprise detailed how they are leveraging new qualification authorities and partnerships with private industry and academia to move advanced manufacturing capabilities from the organic industrial base to the tactical edge.

“We are working across the Army enterprise, the joint force, and with our academic and industry partners to understand the advanced manufacturing space,” said Carolyn Farmer, Army Materiel Command principal technical advisor. “We recognize that our Soldiers need this technology now, and we are faster when we work together.”

Farmer said advanced manufacturing is a key effort in AMC’s mission to deliver ready combat formations. From depot to company level, the Army is expanding advanced manufacturing to address supply chain gaps and ultimately get more equipment into Soldiers’ hands.

As the Army grapples with a shortage of more than 34,000 delinquent backordered parts, AMC was recently granted authority to certify the quality of components produced through advanced manufacturing. The first challenge tied to this authority was to qualify 60 new parts in 60 days. With support from TACOM, the team exceeded that goal by qualifying 61 parts in just 57 days.

“I’ve never seen an effort where so many Army commands came together to solve complex supply problems,” said Jason Duncan, TACOM Maintenance Integration Division Chief. “We’re putting points on the board and solving longstanding challenges within the advanced manufacturing effort every day.”

AMC and TACOM’s next challenge is to qualify 425 parts in 12 months by pairing the new authority with investments in the organic industrial base, leveraging industry and academic partnerships to develop digital twins of Army vehicles, and expediting vendor qualification for advanced manufactured parts.

In addition to partnering with industry and academia to accelerate advanced manufacturing, AMC and TACOM are working closely with operational units to understand requirements as Soldiers test the printing of small parts to support combat missions and training.

“We want young Soldiers to be able to manufacture parts at the point of need,” said Col. Robin Montgomery, Chief of Ordnance and Commandant of the U.S. Army Ordnance School.

Montgomery’s vision for the future of advanced manufacturing at the tactical edge includes issuing standardized 3D printing equipment to units and allowing Soldiers to experiment with it to solve maintenance issues. Parts that are developed, printed, and tested will be submitted to TACOM and AMC for certification as safe, temporary replacement components.

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