Innovation With the Additive Advantage
27 Juillet 2022 - 3:30PM
While companies across the world rise to the challenges affecting
supply chains, a transformation in technology and innovation is
shifting the manufacturing paradigm. Additive manufacturing (AM),
more commonly known as 3D printing, is an innovative process where
objects are created one layer at a time. Shapes and designs that
were once thought impossible and too complex are now possible to
produce. The range of design is expanded, and its potential is
limitless.
“Combined with powerful technology, analysis tools and new
materials, Northrop Grumman is reshaping how it approaches design
and manufacturing processes, like using 3D printing to support
missions in new ways,” said Matt Bromberg, corporate vice
president, global operations, Northrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman has been at the forefront of adopting this
compelling design and build method. AM delivers agility,
consolidation and savings on lead-times, costs and resources.
Products are produced faster and cheaper through its capabilities.
Northrop Grumman continues to innovate using AM and has helped
facilitate this transformation across several platform-types,
ranging from radio frequency sensors, engines, hypersonic weapons
and aerospace structures.
3D Printing in Action
From 3D printing rocket motors to using advanced materials to
produce aircraft parts, the company uses AM across the
enterprise.
Northrop Grumman has also advanced AM applications to space. For
NASA’s Artemis I mission, Northrop Grumman designed twin solid
rocket boosters to propel the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. In
2020, Northrop Grumman shipped 10 rocket motor segments from
Promontory, Utah, to the Kennedy Space Center, where the motor
segments were assembled into two separate solid rocket boosters.
The assembly of these boosters relied in part on 3D printing and
computer modeling to modify heritage component designs from the
shuttle program and to create new components that are compatible
with heritage assembly ones in use.
In 2019, Made In Space (MIS) selected Northrop Grumman to
support NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
demonstration of the autonomous robotic manufacturing and assembly
platform, Archinaut. The objective of Archinaut’s flight
demonstration mission is to construct two 10-meter solar arrays, on
orbit, to power a small Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV)
Secondary Payload Adapter (ESPA) satellite. Once on orbit,
Archinaut will employ its extended structure AM capabilities and
advanced robotics to manufacture and assemble the satellite’s power
generation system.
“Demonstrating additive manufacturing in space will open up new
doors in the design and construction of space structures that to
date have been limited by the volume of a launch vehicle,” said
Richard Stapp, vice president and chief technology officer,
Northrop Grumman. “Effectively building structures in space is one
of the next big steps in our continuous journey of space
exploration.”
Investing in the Transformation of
Manufacturing
Northrop Grumman has invested more than $70 million in AM with
more than 5,000 AM parts currently integrated into the company’s
aeronautic platforms, all produced by small- and medium-sized
suppliers and partners. The company also currently collaborates
with several universities and colleges.
In 2019, Northrop Grumman awarded the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA)
Foundation a $150,000 grant to support AM in the Academy’s Division
of Engineering & Weapons. The grant funded the growth of the
USNA MakerSpace, a student-faculty 3D printing laboratory, and its
associated engineering programs.
“Advancements in additive manufacturing are enabling the rapid
development of next-generation materials and hardware with reduced
life-cycle costs and cycle times to give our warfighters the
tactical advantage against emerging threats in complex combat
environments,” says Larry Ferranto, vice president, maritime/land
systems and sensors operations, Northrop Grumman. “Investing in
educational programs like this helps to develop critical
manufacturing capability in future military leaders and further
strengthens our important partnership with the U.S. Navy and Marine
Corps.”
Contact: |
|
Jessica Kershaw410-271-0540 (mobile)Jessica.Kershaw@ngc.com |
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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