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Design

3D Printing Parts for Ships, Submarines and Underwater Vehicles

Additive manufacturing has been a game-changer in helping to create parts and equipment for the Department of Defense’s (DoD's) industrial base. A naval facility in...

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Manned Systems

DARPA is Transitioning NOM4D from Labs to In-Space Manufacturing Demos

Based on outstanding technical progress by research teams to date, DARPA has pivoted the third and final phase of its NOM4D (pronounced nō- mad) program[1] from planned...

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Manned Systems

Can Microvanes Improve Fuel Efficiency for Legacy Air Force Aircraft?

Air Force Operational Energy and Air Mobility Command are entering the final phase of evaluation for Microvane drag reduction technology on the C-17 Globemaster III....

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Articles
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Manufacturing Spotlight: Machining Complex Parts and Materials for Space Flight and Exploration

This is the first article in a new section of Aerospace & Defense Technology called “Manufacturing Spotlight,” where we will cover some of the latest machines, tools, and other technologies being used by aerospace and defense industry design and manufacturing engineers. The first topic in this new section is “Machines,” specifically the computer numerical control machines. Read on to learn more.

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Articles
Communications

Shape-Shifting Antenna Poised to Transform Communications

By leveraging cutting-edge additive manufacturing techniques and shape memory alloys, researchers have created an antenna that can change its shape based on its temperature. This technology has transformative potential in a wide range of military, scientific and commercial applications. Read on to learn more.

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Manufacturing & Prototyping

Clean Sky Demonstrator Fuselage Shows Potential of Thermoplastics in Aircraft Production

Suspended between discrete skeletal jigs, it wouldn't attract a second glance on an aircraft assembly line. Yet inside an anonymous hangar in northern...

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Materials

Supernova to 3D Print Military Grade Energetic Materials

The American Center for Manufacturing & Innovation (ACMI) has awarded a $2 million subcontract to Supernova Defense & Space to 3D print military-grade energetic materials.

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Defense

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

Commander, Submarine Forces is researching the usage of additive manufacturing (AM) technology to address operational needs, in collaboration with midshipmen from...

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Materials

How Off-Gassing Keeps Divers, Submariners Safe From Toxin-Releasing Materials

Everyone knows that new car smell — the chemical odor wafting off the new plastics, fabrics and other materials in a vehicle's interior. Those smells are caused...

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Manufacturing & Prototyping

Characterizing the Performance of Variable Emissivity Materials in Space

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) launched the Space Power InfraRed Regulation and Analysis of Lifetime, or SPIRRAL, experiment, Nov. 4, 2024. SPIRRAL, flown by...

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Materials

Advancing Metal Alloy Systems and Processes for Defense Manufacturing

The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Innovation Capability and Modernization (ICAM) Office, in collaboration with the National Center for Defense Manufacturing...

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Manufacturing & Prototyping

Lockheed Martin Adds New Additive Manufacturing Machines to Texas Facility

Lockheed Martin recently added 16,000-square-feet of new additive manufacturing space to their facility located in Grand Prairie, Texas. This expansion includes some...

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Articles
Aerospace

Making a Material Difference in Aerospace & Defense Electronics

Laminate materials are indispensable in the manufacture of boards and flexible circuitry for aerospace and defense electronics. Their unique properties address stringent demands, ensuring systems perform reliably under extreme conditions. Read on to learn more.

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Briefs
Materials

Scientists Fuse Simulations and Machine Learning to Accelerate Novel Additively Manufactured Materials

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory have demonstrated a novel approach for applying machine learning to predict microstructures produced by a widely used additive manufacturing technique. Read on to learn more.

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Briefs
Materials

‘First of Its Kind’ Composite Material to Help Space Vessels Travel Longer Distances

Dr. Ashwath Pazhani along with an international team of researchers have created a new material for storing the liquid hydrogen used to propel rockets into space by the likes of NASA. The new material is lighter than the current material used. Read on to learn more about it.

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Articles
Manufacturing & Prototyping

These Speedy Cold Spray Machines Can 3D Print Vehicle Parts in War Zones

As “point of need” additive manufacturing emerges as a priority for the Department of Defense, Australian 3D printing provider SPEE3D is one of several companies demonstrating that its machines can rapidly produce castings, brackets, valves, mountings and other common replacement parts and devices that warfighters often need in an on-demand schedule when deployed near or directly within combat zones. Read on to learn more.

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Manufacturing & Prototyping

Top Aerospace OEMs Taking Action to Prevent Unapproved Parts From Entering Supply Chain

The Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition released its report recommending specific actions the aerospace industry should take to help prevent...

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Materials

Army Evaluates 3D Printing for Bradley Fighting Vehicle's Transmission Mount

SPEE3D, an Melbourne, Australia-based supplier of additive manufacturing technology successfully participated in the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development...

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Briefs
Materials

Machine Learning Unlocks Secrets to Advanced Alloys

Killian Sheriff and Yifan Cao, MIT graduate students, are using machine learning to quantify, atom-by-atom, the complex chemical arrangements that make up the concept of short-range order. Read on to learn more.

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Briefs
AR/AI

Using Artificial Intelligence to Find the Polymers of the Future

Finding the next groundbreaking polymer is always a challenge, but now Georgia Tech researchers are using AI to shape and transform the future of the field. Rampi Ramprasad’s group develops and adapts AI algorithms to accelerate materials discovery. Read on to learn more.

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Articles
Aerospace

Making the Rounds in Aerospace: Tooling and Techniques for Discs, Blisks and Rings

Aerospace engine components like discs, blisks and rings are engineered to perform in extreme operating environments. They need to withstand intense heat and stress and be as lightweight as possible to meet exacting specifications. Read on to learn more about these components.

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Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Is the Department of Defense Stockpiling Enough Critical Materials?

The Department of Defense (DoD) maintains the National Defense Stockpile to store materials that are strategic and critical to defense and essential civilian needs in times...

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Semiconductors & ICs

DARPA Selects Texas for Open-Access Semiconductor Microsystem Fabrication Facility

Seeking to ensure America’s national security and global military leadership, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) has selected the Texas...

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Materials

Navy Scientists Discover New Class of Semiconductor Nanocrystals

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scientists confirm the identification of a new class of semiconductor nanocrystals with bright ground-state excitons, a significant...

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Manned Systems

A New Approach to 3D Printing Tool Recycling for Aerospace Manufacturers

Jamco America Inc., has signed a new partnership agreement with Airtech Advanced Materials Group to revolutionize aerospace manufacturing through 3D printing (3DP)...

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Articles
Sensors/Data Acquisition

MEMS-Based Accelerometer to Measure Microgravity for In-Orbit Manufacturing

Looking ahead, the continued development of MEMS technology will likely unlock new possibilities for space exploration and utilization, ensuring that projects like ForgeStar remain at the forefront of scientific and technological progress. Read on to learn more.

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Articles
Materials

Beyond Boundaries: Elevating Aerospace Design with Fluorosilicones

The introduction of fluorosilicones helped solve the immediate issues faced by the aerospace sector, but also set a new standard for material performance in challenging operational environments. Consequently, these types of silicones have become a critical component in the design and manufacturing of aircraft. Read on to learn more.

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Briefs
Materials

Testing Military-Grade Adhesive in Extreme Loading Conditions

Military performance requirements for adhesives have been traditionally derived to fulfill niche defense needs in harsh operational environments with little consideration for dual-use commercial potential. Read on to learn more.

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Manufacturing & Prototyping

Boeing Adopts New Airplane Manufacturing Quality and Safety Metrics

Boeing has published a new 11-page summary of actions being implemented to prevent airplane manufacturing quality and safety issues such as those that led to the in-flight...

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