SPEE3D, a Melbourne-based additive manufacturing company, revealed that it successfully participated in the U.S. Marine Corps Annual Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 4-23. The exercise combined infantry, artillery, aircraft, combat logistics, and all supporting elements to train battalion and squadron-sized units in the tactical application of combined-arms manoeuvres as well as offensive and defensive operations during combat.
SPEE3D was the only additive manufacturing company invited to attend this event alongside US Defence.
SPEE3D participates in U.S. Marines Corps ITX
ITX was a month-long series of progressive exercises that tested the ability and adaptability of a force of over 3,700 Marines and sailors. Our WarpSPEE3D was used to print critical parts that were broken and flown to the live fire Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, from ground support at the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California.
In recent years, the US, UK, and Australian militaries have repeatedly demonstrated our technology’s expeditionary point-of-need capabilities for defense operations, as evidenced by numerous military field trials, providing reliable evidence of our technology’s robust metal manufacturing capabilities in the field. Following these trials, many of these organisations, including the British Army, purchased their own SPEE3D printers.
“Our involvement in ITX 4-23 is yet another testament to our commitment to partnering with the military worldwide to provide the best outcomes for rapidly printing 3D metal parts where they are needed the most—near the warfighter. It’s an honour to be invited, and we look forward to working with the United States Marines Corps for future training events.”
– Chris Harris, Americas VP of Defence, SPEE3D
According to Chris Curran, Program Manager for the Consortium for Additive Manufacturing Research And Education (CAMRE), “For two consecutive weeks during Integrated Training Exercise 4-23 with the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, SPEE3D repeatedly demonstrated their ability to 3D print metal replacement parts, outdoors, in an expeditionary environment. What was impactful was their ability to produce parts in a matter of hours – not days – which could potentially offer war fighters and maintainers a competitive advantage in a contested environment.”
CAMRE documented their successful manufacturing of a baseplate using WarpSPEE3D on their social media during ITX. After being manufactured and post-processed in the field, this base plate was used to lift a 22,000lb Humvee vehicle. Using SPEE3D’s patented cold spray process to reliably produce complex, industrial-grade metal parts in hours rather than weeks.
