Additive Manufacturing: Implications to the Army Organic Industrial Base in 2030.

摘要

What disruptive technology will change the way the United States and the world operate and could fundamentally change the way the Army Organic Industrial Base (AOIB) operates. There are many who believe that Additive Manufacturing (AM) is that technology. This paper investigates how AM could affect the AOIB, and how the resulting manufacturing efficiencies could drive down costs and increase flexibility and responsiveness within the Department of Defense (DoD). The paper first defines AM, and then discusses the status of the technology, its current uses within DoD, its advantages and disadvantages, and its impact on a particular AOIB process at the Anniston Army Depot. The case study focuses on the most relevant and fastest growing AM application: parts manufacturing and refurbishment. If AM is applied correctly, DoD stands to save significant resources within the AOIB.