New agreement covers supply of 3D-printed components for US Navy submarine construction

The US Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program, shipbuilder General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB), and Lincoln Electric have confirmed an investment to accelerate the integration of additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, into the construction of the navy's nuclear-powered submarines.

Lincoln Electric said America must deliver one Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine and two Virginia-class attack submarines each year by 2028, while sustaining the current fleet. Meeting this demand therefore requires innovative methods to increase throughput, reduce bottlenecks, and strengthen supply chains, and the partners said AM will provide solutions to these challenges.