3D Printing
News Contact us Seen on social
Home / News / Rock Island Arsenal to House Largest Metal 3D Printer in the World

Rock Island Arsenal to House Largest Metal 3D Printer in the World

October 31, 2022

Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, will soon have the largest metal 3D printer in the world installed at the military base. The media were recently invited to an event to celebrate the upcoming installation of the machine at the Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing & Technology Center.

It will be used primarily for the fabrication of big components for military ground vehicles. The system, named the “Jointless Hull Large Format Tool” will be able to print large components in a variety of metals measuring up to 30 ft in length, 20 ft in width, and 12 ft in height.

As you can guess by the name, it will be printing large jointless components which would traditionally require assembly and welding/fastening together. The new system will allow vehicular body components to be fabricated in fewer parts, in faster time, and with less waste materials.

You can see a 3D model of the machine in the picture below.

vehicle factory
Real life Command & Conquer vehicle factory. (Image credit: Ingersoll / ASTRO America)

The printer will be manufactured by ASTRO America in collaboration with Ingersoll Machine Tool in nearby Rockford.

ASTRO America (The Applied Science and Technology Research Organization of America) was formed in 2018, and research institute and think tank, dedicated to advancing the public interest through manufacturing technology and policy. They were selected to develop and deliver the big metal printer by the US Army.

Ingersoll have been tasked with the fabrication of the machine using their vast experience in machine manufacturing.

metal hatch
3D printed metal hatch for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. (Image credit: Nikos Frazier / Quad-City Times)

“It’s creating an opportunity for us to build things that we’ve never been able to build before,” said Maj. Gen. Darren Werner, Commanding, U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command.

“We’re moving into a space where we can build things in a three-dimensional computer-aided world and then bring it to full maturity as an actual product on the ground.”

One of the key motivations for the design of the machine is the ability to replenish the undersides of vehicles that have been damaged by explosive devices. It has been estimated that 73 percent of all vehicle losses in the Vietnam War were incurred due to enemy usage of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. This problem persists today with roadside IEDs being a constant threat.

AS a result, vehicle undersides are built incredibly thick and strong, but traditional manufacturing methods such as forging, forming, and welding have been unsuitable for applications such as this due to weld porosity, and reduced geometric freedom.

Howitzer muzzle brake
3D Printed Howitzer muzzle brake on the base. (Image Credit: Nikos Frazier / Quad-City Times)

The US military has identified large format additive manufacturing as a solution to these issues, and so the Jointless Hull Large Format Tool was commissioned.

“This is all about the future. The arsenal is all about the future. It’s about the 21st century,” said Congresswoman Cheri Bustos at a media event at the army base.

“We have gone from the factory floor to the foxhole in every single war and conflict that [America has ]been involved with going back to the Civil War. This puts us in the military of the future.”

The Jointless Hull Large Format Tool will be tested at the Ingersoll Machine Tool factory in Rockford in December 2022 before being dismantled and reassembled at the arsenal, where it is expected to become operational by May 2023.

metal printer onboard
Related Story
US Navy Installs First Metal Printer Onboard Ship
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.
Latest posts

3D Printed Switchable Explosives Offer Safer Solutions for Mining and Military Applications

Researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed "switchable" high explosives that require an inert fluid, like water, to be activated, minimizing... read more »

Military
Experimental setup and detonation time lapse

Engineer Wins Prize for 3D-Admix Concrete Printing Additive

Fort Bragg resident and civil engineer, Michael Butler, has won the Most Innovative Product Award at the 2023 World of Concrete International Exhibition.... read more »

Construction
concrete and 3D-Admix

Patent Granted for 3D Printing Embossing Technology

Northann Corp has obtained a European patent for its innovative "DSE Embossing Technology." This new method combines positive and negative embossing techniques in... read more »

News
DSE embossed example

USAF Global Strike Command Embraces 3D Printing for Future Weapon Sustainment

The Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) is turning to 3D printing to address its weapon sustainment needs. As the field of additive... read more »

Military
USAF mechanical engineer

Particle Accelerator Sheds New Light on Solidification of Metals During 3D Printing

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, and other institutions have made a... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Shooting X-rays

CyBe to 3D Print Florida’s First Villa

Dutch construction printing company CyBe Construction is set to print their first 3D concrete villa in Florida, utilizing mobile printing technology to construct... read more »

Construction
CyBe Render

Custom 3D Printed Gaming Mouse Now on Kickstarter

Canadian start-up Formify has launched a Kickstarter campaign for their custom 3D printed gaming mouse, designed to enhance player performance in Esports. Already... read more »

News
custom 3d printed gaming mouse

3D Printed Titanium Cranks Now Available for Electric Mountain Bikes

Cane Creek is taking electric mountain bikes to the next level with the introduction of their 3D printed titanium Electric Wings crankset. Designed... read more »

3D Printing Metal
Swanky and robust

New Technique Produces Ultra-Lightweight, Waste-Free Concrete Structures

Researchers at the University of Michigan's Taubman College have developed an innovative 3D printing method that creates ultra-lightweight, waste-free concrete structures. The "Shell... read more »

Construction
Tubular

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
  • Twitter Twitter 3D Printing
  • Modix BIG-60 Modix BIG-60
    600 x 600 x 660 mm
    $4,900
    Buy Now
  • Fusion3 F410 Fusion3 F410
    355 x 355 x 315 mm
    $4,599
    Buy Now
  • Geeetech ALKAID Geeetech ALKAID
    82 x 130 x 190 mm
    $99
    Buy Now
  • Geeetech THUNDER Geeetech THUNDER
    250 x 250 x 260 mm
    $489
    Buy Now
  • Geeetech Mizar M Geeetech Mizar M
    255 x 255 x 260 mm
    $399
    Buy Now
  • Geeetech Mizar S Geeetech Mizar S
    255 x 255 x 260 mm
    $279
    Buy Now
  • Geeetech A30T Geeetech A30T
    320 x 320 x 420 mm
    $449
    Buy Now
  • Hands-On Review: The Mole 3D Scanner
    Hands-On Review: The Mole 3D Scanner Learn More
  • Hands-On Review: Creality Ender 5 S1
    Hands-On Review: Creality Ender 5 S1 Learn More

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Modix BIG Meter Modix BIG Meter
    1010 x 1010 x 1010 mm
    from $13,500
    Request a Quote
  • Modix BIG-120Z Modix BIG-120Z
    600 x 600 x 1200 mm
    from $7,500
    Request a Quote
  • Industry MAGNUM Industry MAGNUM
    1500 x 1200 x 1200 mm
    €159.000
    Request a Quote
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

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 Companies

  • Modix
  • Industry
  • Geeetech

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2023 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing
We serve cookies on this site to analyze traffic, remember your preferences, and optimize your experience.
Details
Close