WarpSPEE3D printer installed at Navy base

The Royal Australian Navy has installed its own WarpSPEE3D metal printer at HMAS Coonawarra in Darwin after seeing what Army could do with theirs.

CAPTION: Navy WarpSPEE3D 3D metal Printer installed at HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin – with (inset) a part printed in the machine. Images supplied.

A large-format SPEE3D metal 3D printer was installed by the Fleet Support Unit (FSU) at HMAS Coonawarra Navy Port this week, making the Royal Australian Navy the latest ADF service with the capability to print their own metal parts on demand.

The installation of a WarpSPEE3D at HMAS Coonawarra was made possible after the Australian government made $1.5 million investment in a similar 18-month pilot of the capability for the Royal Australian Navy.

This world-first trial is designed to streamline the maintenance of patrol vessels and significantly increase parts available to the Navy compared to those available from regular supply chains.

This technology will empower the Navy to design and manufacture the parts they require, when and where they are needed – on base or at sea.

SPEE3D CEO Byron Kennedy said: “We are excited to be working with The Royal Australian Navy on this programme. Having the capability to produce high-quality metal parts on-demand, in the field or at sea will be ground-breaking for the Australian Defence Force”.

SPEE3D’s metal printing technology was developed in Australia and is the world’s fastest and most economical metal 3D printing technology.

It is also the only large-format metal 3D printing technology that has been trailed and proven field-deployable by Defence.

SPEE3D recently completed a series of successful field trials deploying the WarpSPEE3D printer to the remote outback with the Australian Army.

The Australian government funded the $1.5 million trial which included the training of Army craftsmen and engineers in 3D printing at Charles Darwin University in everything from design to certification of parts.

The program resulted in a range of parts that the Army are now able to print and finish in the field at a fraction of the cost and time of current supply chains.

The pilot program with the Royal Australian Navy is expected to produce similar results.

SPEE3D was recently awarded the AIDN-NT Innovation Award 2020 for the outstanding contribution in providing this capability to Defence and the NT Exporter of The Year 2020 and Australian Trusted Trader Technology and Innovation Award 2020 in the NT Export and Industry Awards.

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