A 3D-printed part for Marine Corps M1A1 Abrams tanks may help troops repair their tracked war machines faster and with less delay. Marine Corps Systems Command recently collaborated with fleet Marines and other organizations to review the successful performance of several 3D-printed impellers used on the tanks at Twentynine Palms, California, according to a recent release. The Corps plans to use 3D-printed impellers when the original part wears or becomes inoperable and a new part cannot be received in a timely fashion. An impeller expels dust from the tank engine to keep the filters clean. When the Marine Corps and the Army ordered a large batch of impellers several years ago, the Defense Logistics Agency did not have enough parts to satisfy all orders. As a result, the impeller was identified as a candidate for 3D printing. The exercise conducted at Twentynine Palms in December and January was the culmination of formal qualification testing and was intended to confirm the performance of a 3D-printed version of an impeller in an operationally relevant environment. The test was a success. Read more at Marines.mil.
Marines 3D-Print Key Tank Part
