According to the “Additive Manufacturing in Military and Defense 2024” report by AM Research, direct U.S. DoW spending on 3D printing and AM is estimated to exceed $2.6 billion by 2030. There are numerous examples of the technology being used for military and defense applications, and you can learn more about this at our upcoming Additive Manufacturing Strategies event in New York City. But, just because it’s the military using AM, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s all for weapons or defense readiness.
Hill Air Force Base, located in northern Utah, is one of the top installations of the United States Air Force (USAF). The base has been using 3D printing for several years, creating replacement parts for the F-22 and F-35 fighter planes. It’s also home to the Hill Aerospace Museum, which is dedicated to the history of the base and aviation in Utah. 70 aircraft and thousands of historical Air Force artifacts are on display at the museum, and its technicians are now using 3D technology to help preserve aviation history.
There are many examples of 3D technologies being used to preserve history in the military and beyond, from battleship restoration and memorial preservation to recreating prehistoric species and ancient artwork. Now, at the Hill Aerospace Museum, to support the preservation of its historic aircraft, in-house 3D scanning and printing are helping the team recreate parts that are difficult to find, like the cooling cap pictured above and below.
“Ensuring historical accuracy is at the forefront in restoration and exhibits. Our priority is to find the historically accurate part; if we are unable to find the correct part, that’s when we turn to modern technology to recreate our part for visual purposes,” explained Brandon Hedges, museum restoration chief.
Sometimes, you need to spend money to make money, or to save it. The museum recently invested $6,000 in the 3D technology, which has ultimately lowered project costs by 80%. 3D printing and scanning has also saved the team plenty of precious time, as it used to take them months to find obsolete components. Now, the authenticity of the museum’s historic aviation collection can be preserved, thanks to the accurately reproduced parts enabled by the technology.
“If we decide to 3D print something that we cannot find a surplus, we strive to make it blend in just as the original,” Hedges said. “Providing the visitors with historically accurate depictions is mission priority for restoration and exhibits.”…