3D Printing
News Videos Newsletter Contact us
Home / Military / US Navy Tests Conductive Plastic AM Radar Components
revopoint

US Navy Tests Conductive Plastic AM Radar Components

February 22, 2021

Antennas need to be electrically conductive, so they either need to be manufactured from a conductive material (metal, typically) or else be made from an insulator coated in a conductor.

Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have been looking at the latter option, and have made use of low cost 3D printing combined with electroplating to create antennas and arrays for applications in radar technology.

Costly

Radar antenna and array components are traditionally machined out of aluminium, and as well as being costly, can have lead times of several months.

“3D printing is a way to produce rapid prototypes and get through multiple design iterations very quickly, with minimal cost,” said Anna Stumme, electrical engineer at NRL.

“The lightweight of the printed parts also allows us to take technology to new applications, where the heavyweight of solid metal parts used to restrict us.”

Nylon

The researchers are using Nylon to print the substrate structure, before applying the electroplating process.

Traditionally, Nylon is not suitable for electroplating. This is not due to its lack of conductivity (this can be easily modified), but more to do with the underlying chemistry of the polyamide material itself.

Therefore we can assume that the researchers are using an additional step where the surface is treated (some form of etching maybe) before applying the electroplating process.

The press release does not give any details of the electroplating process or the metals plated, however there are a few options for plating a first layer onto a treated polymer, including nickel, electroless nickel, and copper.

Once the antenna is manufactured, it is tested to see how the printing has affected radiation patterns produced around the antenna in an anechoic chamber (pictured below). They are able to assess the way the various printed variants affect the functionality of the radar itself.

anechoic chamber
AM components on test inside anechoic chamber (Image credit: US Navy)

The research is not necessarily geared towards full production of 3D printed antennas, more a means to test the geometry of machined antennas by using 3D printing to speed up the design process.

“We are not trying to say we need to 3D print everything and put it on a ship because that is not realistic,” Stumme said. “We don’t necessarily know how it would hold up in that environment. For us, it’s a way to test more design iterations in a short amount of time.”

Cylindrical Array

Cylindrical arrays are arrays of multiple antennas linked together in some form of structure, in this case, a cylindrical one. They provide 360-degree visibility to radar systems, and again, they are very costly and time consuming to manufacture, normally.

The researchers plan to demonstrate a prototype of a cylindrical array aperture for an X-band surveillance system later this year. This could have applications for ships which needs radar capability for its own surrounding area.
The research is looking at placing cylindrical arrays within the masts of smaller boats, using microwave photonics and optical fibers.

“Cylindrical arrays are advantageous because they provide full 360-degree visibility,” said Mark Dorsey, head of the Antenna Section in the Radar Analysis Branch of the Radar Division..

“Optical fibers are valuable because they can allow for long separations between the antenna itself and where the processing is conducted.”

In this upcoming test, the team will compare the effectiveness of 3D printed antennas versus traditionally machined ones.

electrically conductive polymer composites for 3d printing
Related Story
Electrically Conductive Polymer Composites for 3D Printing
Share:
WhatsApp Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Buffer Reddit E-mail
About the author | Phillip Keane
Phillip is an aerospace engineer from UK. He is a graduate of Coventry University (UK), International Space University (France) and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), where he studied Advanced Manufacturing at the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing.
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Latest posts

FRCE Innovation Lab Creates Rapid Solution for F-35 Fleet

Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) has produced 2,000 O-ring installation tools for F-35 Lightning II aircraft using 3D printing technology. The project was... read more »

Military
FRCE Innovation Lab Creates Rapid Solution for F-35 Fleet

Etsy’s New 3D Printing Restrictions: What Sellers Need to Know

Etsy has recently updated its policy regarding items in the "Made by a Seller" category, specifically clarifying rules for products created with "computerized... read more »

News

New 3D-Printing Technique Creates Dual-Material Objects from Single Resin

Researchers have developed a new Vat photopolymerization technique that creates both permanent objects and dissolvable supports in a single process. According to a... read more »

Materials
New 3D-Printing Technique Creates Dual-Material Objects from Single Resin

Northumbria Receives EU Funding for Sustainable 3D-Printed Construction Research

Northumbria University has received a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Fellowship worth over a quarter million euros to research low-carbon, 3D-printed construction materials. The... read more »

Construction
Northumbria Receives EU Funding for Sustainable 3D-Printed Construction Research

3D-Printed Sports Bra Could Help Olympic Star Break Historic Athletics Record

Nike has developed a new 3D-printed sports bra called the FlyWeb Bra for runner Faith Kipyegon's attempt to break the 4-minute mile barrier.... read more »

News
3D-Printed Sports Bra Could Help Olympic Star Break Historic Athletics Record

Vietnam Emerges in High-Tech Medicine as Vinmec Pioneers 3D-Printed Breakthroughs

Across pediatric, adult, and geriatric cases, Vietnam’s Vinmec Healthcare System's implementation of 3D printing solutions has significantly transformed patient outcomes, replacing disability with... read more »

Medical
Vietnam Emerges in High-Tech Medicine as Vinmec Pioneers 3D-Printed Breakthroughs

Johns Hopkins APL Helps Navy Overcome Metal 3D Printing Reliability Concerns

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) are working with the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to address reliability concerns with... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Johns Hopkins APL Helps Navy Overcome Metal 3D Printing Reliability Concerns

New 3D Printing Technique Creates Glass Objects at Low Temperatures

Researchers at MIT Lincoln Laboratory have developed a new low-temperature process for 3D printing glass objects. This method creates complex glass structures without... read more »

News
New 3D Printing Technique Creates Glass Objects at Low Temperatures

Farsoon Launches High-Volume Copper Alloy 3D Printing System FS621M-Cu

Farsoon has developed a specialized 3D printing system for producing large copper alloy components for aerospace applications. The company's new FS621M-Cu system, built... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Farsoon Launches High-Volume Copper Alloy 3D Printing System FS621M-Cu

Pratt & Whitney Tests 3D Printed Rotating Part for TJ150 Engine

Pratt & Whitney has completed a series of tests on its 3D printed TJ150 turbine wheel. The company, an RTX business, reports the... read more »

Aerospace
Pratt & Whitney Tests 3D Printed Rotating Part for TJ150 Engine

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • QIDI Tech X-Max 3

    • - Print size: 325 x 325 x 315 mm
    • - fully enclosed
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Plus4

    • - Print size: 305 x 305 x 280 mm
    • - print temperature of 370°C
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • Snapmaker Artisan Premium 3-in-1

    • - Print size: 400 x 400 x 400 mm
    • - comes with enclosure
    More details »
    $2,999.00 Snapmaker
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro

    • - Print size: 245 x 245 x 245 mm
    • - 600mm/s max speed
    More details »
    $449.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now

Company Information

  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing

Blog

  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal

Featured Reviews

  • Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
  • Creality Ender 5 S1
  • The Mole 3D Scanner
  • Flashforge Creator 3 Pro

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2025 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing