In late-January, eight Marines assigned to the Task Force 51/5 Marine Expeditionary Brigade trained in an additive manufacturing course, otherwise known as three-dimensional (3D) printing. The Marines mastered the fundamentals of additive manufacturing, design techniques, workflow, and post-processing for finishing.

“I was able to turn what seemed like a complex system into a seamless process,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ryan S. Jackson, one of the students in the course. “Many people don’t understand the process and may feel overwhelmed by the idea of printing a 3D model. However, the training is not as complex as one might think.”

The five-day course, taught by Aaron Diego Smith from the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC), provided the Marines with valuable hands-on experience. Smith, an On-Demand Manufacturing Engineer with NIWC-A, taught 3D printing to undergraduate researchers for nine years.

“3D printing is another tool in the toolbox to be used when appropriate,” said Smith, “in the sense that you would not use a screwdriver to hammer in a nail. It is not a replacement to other manufacturing processes but allows for organizations like the Marine Corps to supplement existing manufacturing especially in contested logistics environments.”

3D printing capabilities can enhance the readiness of equipment, including aviation and ground assets, by enabling relatively rapid production with exact specifications at the point-of-need in manufacturing. This helps overcome logistic challenges through rapidly supplying mission-critical components to the frontlines while helping reduce costs.

“3D printing can improve supply chain operations and innovation,” said Jackson. “Some repair parts take days- or even months- to arrive. Being able to print parts and use them while waiting for requisitioned parts is a huge win for keeping equipment operational and in the fight.”

All eight Marines were certified as Level 1 Operators per MCO 4700.4, the Marine Corps Order for Additive Manufacturing policy.

Task Force 51/5 responds to crises and contingencies; coordinates, plans, and executes operations; conducts theater security cooperation; and advances emerging Naval concepts at sea, from the sea, and ashore in order to support U.S. Central Command, 5th Fleet, and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command theater objectives.