Photo By Maj. John Moore | Dr. Kevin Galloway, Director of Making and a Research Assistant Professor in the...... read more read more
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Soldiers assigned to 21st Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, participated in a 3-D printing and laser etching exposition at Vanderbilt University with Dr. Kevin Galloway, Director of Making and a Research Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Vanderbilt University, Aug. 9.
The Soldiers attending the event assessed the practicality of 3-D printing as it pertains to solving product acquisition challenges within their unit. 3-D printing and laser etching often provide the end user with a high-quality, lower-cost item, often at a much faster rate than procurement through standard supply systems. This is particularly important, as much of the demolition equipment that combat engineer (sapper) Soldiers use is single-use only. During combat and training, it is not uncommon for sappers to go through dozens of single-use items.
Because sappers rapidly expend demolition components during combat and training, it is occasionally necessary for them to construct additional resources out of commonly found materials around them.
“Sapper Leader Course teaches innovation due to the nature of our jobs,” said 1st. Sgt. Robert J. Clark, 1st. Sgt., Company B, 21st Brigade Engineer Battalion. “Sappers frequently create things from the tools that they have in order to find solutions to problems. 3-D printing is yet another way to leverage the principles taught in the Sapper Leader Course.”
Clark believes that 3-D printing could have helped solve some previous challenges he has encountered.
“One challenge pertained to silhouette charges,” said Clark. “Silhouette charges are sometimes temperamental based on environmental conditions, due to the materials they’re constructed with. 3-D printed materials could have helped to eliminate that inconsistency.”
During the exposition, Soldiers discussed the creation of components from the M303 Special Operations Forces Demolition Kit. Initially, the kits were designed to provide special operations forces Soldiers with state-of-the-art components and methods needed to accomplish their missions in a safer, more efficient, effective way while improving their survivability. The kit reduces the Soldier’s load. It also allows for remote acquisition and destruction of targets at extended standoff distances with less explosives than conventional demolition operations.
As a proof of concept, the team initially created a chemical light holding device, which is used as part of a marking system. The system can hold two chemical lights, and is attached with gutted 550 parachute cord to strips of a VS-17 GVX signal panel. The panel is typically used by ground troops to affect recognition by air support units. The panel is fluorescent red on one side and fluorescent orange on the other. The chemical lights can be any color, and are used to indicate mission milestones.
“What’s really exciting is that we will get a chance to use what we created in the 3-D printing lab in real life,” said Capt. Aimee J. Valles, Commander, Company B, 21st Brigade Engineer Battalion. “Later this year, we will conduct a proof of concept with our device, and compare its capabilities with those of the M303. Ideally, we’d have at least three demolition kits with the ability to quickly print three more for immediate use.”
The 3rd Brigade Combat Team “Rakkasans” is always looking for innovative ways to solve everyday challenges. A series of symposiums and panels hosted by the unit provided Soldiers a venue to collaboratively address them with industry professionals who have computer-aided design systems and 3-D printing resources at their disposal. The most recent in the series of innovation engagements occurred Aug. 10 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The engagement featured civilian and military innovation subject matter experts (SME).
"Innovation is the conversion of new ideas into valued outcomes," said Col. John P. Cogbill, Commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. “The purpose of these innovation engagements is to facilitate the generation and exchange of ideas between ‘Rakkasan’ Soldiers, the Defense Department, and innovation industry professionals, with the end goal of helping to make the military organization more agile and adaptive to face unknown challenges in the future.”
The idea of 3-D printing is not a new concept for U.S. Army Soldiers. In 2016, Gen. Mark A. Milley, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, suggested that at some point in future engagements, Soldiers might be required to “…devise replacement parts for their gear with 3-D printing.” To that end, the Rakkasans have taken the initiative to pursue 3-D printing as an expedient way to address challenges within the organization.
| Date Taken: | 08.09.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 12.15.2018 00:05 |
| Story ID: | 301940 |
| Location: | FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 166 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, “Rak Solid” Rakkasans Design 3-D Parts at Vanderbilt University, by MAJ John Moore, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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