A few weeks ago, the U.S. Navy announced that several of its laboratories and research and development centers were working on manufacturing a submarine hull. The idea was to demonstrate that this construction doesn't necessarily require a long and expensive process, hence the testing of new techniques such as 3D printing.
Before we continue, I should mention that this project required the collaboration and work of the U.S. Navy's Disruptive Technology Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory . These entities were responsible for building a submarine whose design was inspired by a SEAL transport and supply vehicle.
Thanks to 3D printing, the United States Navy can build the hull of a submarine in a 90% cheaper way
Regarding the main innovations, as has been revealed, the use of 3D printing has significantly reduced both costs and construction time. Specifically, the price is 90% lower , and the submarine can be ready in just days, whereas traditional methods take between three and five months and cost between $600.000 and $800.000.
Regarding the submarine's technical details, it's worth noting that it's a model approximately 9,5 meters long, constructed entirely from a carbon fiber composite material. For its construction, the project leaders opted to use the Big Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM) 3D printer, developed and built by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This machine was specifically designed for producing prototypes in plastic, carbon fiber, and even metal.