Home - Navy Fast-Tracks 3D Printed Parts to Boost Submarine Production Defense Navy Fast-Tracks 3D Printed Parts to Boost Submarine Production Paloma Duran 14 minutes ago 0 The U.S. Navy released new technical requirements Aug. 11 designed to rapidly scale metallic 3D printing across the submarine enterprise, stripping away administrative and engineering hurdles that have slowed the use of additive manufacturing (AM) in submarine construction, maintenance and repair. A New Pathway to Replace Legacy Parts The newly approved Project Peculiar Document (PPD) 802-8436658 establishes a streamlined, repeatable technical pathway for substituting traditional cast and wrought submarine components with 3D printed metallic equivalents. Previously, swapping in an AM part triggered a lengthy chain of part-by-part engineering assessments, manual drawing revisions and repeated first-article testing. The new framework eliminates that bottleneck, letting engineers bypass redundant approvals and field AM components faster. The requirements are authorized for immediate use across submarine design, construction, overhaul and repair, and are indexed through the Defense Logistics Agency ‘s Quick Search Portal and the Navy Digital Sea Resource Portal. Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, Director of Submarine Programs, said the change addresses a persistent supply chain problem. “This is exactly the type of barrier we must remove if we are going to unlock 21st century technology to get our submarine programs on plan and ahead of the threat,” he said. “Additive manufacturing gives us a tool to get after supply chain constraints and part obsolescence by reducing the time it takes to get critical capability to our warfighters.” Safety Standards Remain in Place for High-Consequence Systems Despite the faster pathway, the Navy said quality and safety requirements are not being relaxed. AM materials used in high-consequence applications, including Level I material control and SUBSAFE systems, remain subject to existing Navy quality standards, backed by additional tracking and non-destructive inspection. “Moving faster does not mean accepting less,” Gaucher said. “As we scale our advanced manufacturing capabilities, we will relentlessly enforce the safety and quality standards our crews rely on.” Additively manufactured metal components are already in service aboard the USS Washington and USS Nevada, both operating in deep-sea conditions. The new requirements build on that operational track record to expand AM use further into the platform. The effort was developed by the Submarine Industrial Base Program Office ‘s Advanced Manufacturing team, working with Navy stakeholders, shipbuilders and suppliers. A wire-arc directed energy deposition system at the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Danville, Virginia. Photo via US Navy.