Babcock delivers first sample under new manufacturing process analysis
Babcock has used additive manufacturing to supply parts for the L118 Light Gun 105mm towed howitzer. (Photo: UK MoD/Crown Copyright)
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) gave several companies a contract to establish the usefulness of additive manufacturing for defence equipment.
Babcock International has successfully delivered the first package of work for Project Tampa, a UK MoD accelerator programme designed to improve the use of additive manufacturing to increase material availability across defence.
Additive manufacturing is the process of creating an object one layer at a time such as through 3D printing.
Contracts were awarded to Babcock, NP Aerospace, Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land, Thales and AMFG under Project Tampa in April 2023 to establish if additive manufacturing can help transform material availability across defence operations.
For Babcock, the project includes complex components for the L118 Light Gun 105mm towed howitzer, 4.5in gun on the Type 23 frigate and the torpedo launch system for both the Astute and Dreadnought class submarines.
The first package delivered was the eye shaft for the Light Gun. The MoD’s Defence Equipment & Support team has recommended it for adoption into the defence inventory, where it is ready to be ordered through Babcock’s Material Availability Service.
Currently the focus is on combating obsolescence by using large data files to produce small runs of items which might otherwise require bespoke machinery, but it would also allow global manufacture.
Under the process companies would digitally store data and learnings acquired during the spare part production process, which can thereafter be referenced when creating workflows for subsequent parts.
Charlotte Robinson, innovation team lead at UK Strategic Command said: “There would be a series of global hubs that can rapidly print and provide assured quality parts for us and our allies.
“Not only could this be crucial in terms of platform availability but brings with it a host of other benefits including quick access to spares, reduction of the need to stockpile as well as significant cost savings and environmental benefits.”
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