Zetamix’s metal 3D printing solution is to be used aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.The $3 billion carrier, built in 2002, has a complement of 1350 and an additional 600 troops working on the aircraft.Capable of carrying up to 30 aircraft, the carrier is special because precious few countries can operate carriers.
France has one, so using Nanoe’s bond filament solution is prestigious indeed.And aboard these complex ships, a lot of stuff breaks very often, so this could come in very handy.The French Fleet Support Service (Service de Soutien à la Flotte – SSF) and Naval Group implemented the project.
Naval is a $4 billion revenue, 15,000-staff company mostly owned by the French state that manages and maintains much of the French fleet.With a history dating back 395 years, the storied group is integral to France’s defense capabilities.At the Battle of Yorktown, the 24 ships under the command of Admiral François-Joseph Paul de Grasse blocked the British escape in the Battle of Chesapeake Bay.
By winning at Chesapeake Bay, the French blocked British resupply and escape.They also paved the way for large guns to be brought in, forcing Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown and a US victory in the Revolutionary War.All of the 24 French ships at Yorktown were made by what is now the Navy.
And one could argue that without those French ships at Yorktown, the US would never have gained its independence.France was at a breaking point, unable to support the Americans any longer, and the Continental Army was running out of supplies and even food.Metallic parts made with Zetamix solution.
Image courtesy of Zetamix.Now Zetamix will put a furnace, bound metal filaments, and a Material Extrusion machine on board the Aircraft carrier.This is a great solution.
Part costs are low, and there’s no powder that could explode.The printer needs no lasers or extra gases so that it could be a simple device.It’s a great test to see what parts can be made and what could be useful.
Naval MRO is a big area and a big opportunity for 3D printing.Bound metal filament parts are rather rough and ready.But they’re cheap to make.
Designing for them and reverse-engineering parts to print is relatively easy.The up-front cost is low, part costs are low, and training should be relatively straightforward.Like all sintering processes, shrinkage is an issue.
And while many parts can be accurate, they may need some machining.Nanoe’s CEO Guillaume de Calan said, “We are very pleased that our solution has been selected for this trial.We believe that our Zetamix metal 3D printing solution is particularly well suited to onboard maintenance, as it is relatively easy to transport and requires limited infrastructure.
Moreover, Zetamix is the only French solution in this field.It is obviously a tremendous source of pride for the entire team to see our solution now deployed aboard the Charles de Gaulle.” Naval first trialed the technology at their Additive Manufacturing Center in Toulon.Now it’s going on an at-sea trial, reportedly joining other printers aboard the ship.
I really think bound metal is an underutilized solution for MRO and defense MRO.By being cheap, comparatively easy to use, and affordable to get into, more MRO should be done with bound metal.Lower explosion risks are a very big deal on board a navy ship, where fire is by far the most feared emergency.
To dial everything in well, it would help to have a library of useful parts available beforehand.Common parts, or ones you know you’ll need, could speed up on-board repairs.It would also be interesting to do much of the design and dial-in work off the carrier.
While the 3D print lab works, someone in Toulon could test, change settings, and give tips so the crew has the part when they wake.In many emergencies, this won’t be possible, but as part of regular operations, it could be very helpful.As the parts library grows, the technology will also become easier to use with every part.
I really think this is a good move by the French Navy, and I hope many more navies look into bound metal as an MRO solution.It may not solve all your part needs, but it will solve many at low cost.Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
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