Progressive Algorithms, a licensed Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Enterprise that makes use of 3D printing for prototyping and design.
Meet Progressive Algorithms, a licensed Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Enterprise that gives modern improvements for safety and protection. This firm has taken a low-cost desktop 3D printer and produced a secure finish product used as a part in a fancy protection system. Be part of us to find how Progressive Algorithms graduated from experimental prototyping to completed product using 3D printing.
In business, additive manufacturing and desktop 3D printing are used extensively within the design and prototyping section of a full product answer. It’s a well-known that firms and/or organizations that don’t take part in these iterative prototyping processes are being left behind. Now, 3D printing has made inroads into the manufacturing course of, from the design and manufacture of jigs and fixtures to low charge manufacturing of elements as a part of product assemblies. Progressive Algorithms, a modern supplier of improvements for safety and protection, has taken full benefit of 3D printing capabilities. With its Phalanx Protect™ answer, desktop 3D printing has turn into an integral software in offering superior capabilities and elements to the Division of Protection (DoD), Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) and different governmental businesses and organizations.
The Phalanx Protect
Procurement of services and products within the DoD falls below the purview of the Protection Acquisition System. Acquisition of bodily merchandise on this area is analogous to the total product life cycle that’s frequent in most industries. The method begins the place wants and/or functionality gaps are analyzed and necessities are gathered to find out if present merchandise or options exist. If nothing exists to satisfy the acknowledged necessities, then the preliminary section of the product life cycle begins in earnest.
An instance of DoD’s product lifecycle in motion is of the Phalanx Protect™ answer. The genesis of the Phalanx Protect™ might be traced to the previous expertise of Progressive Algorithms Founder/CEO, Jay Chesnut. Jay’s time as a Naval Aviator uncovered him to the necessity for improved, sustainable safety and surveillance techniques that weren’t presently obtainable. Because of real-time occasions, Phalanx Protect™ was developed to enhance DoD’s and DHS’s present capabilities. At present, Phalanx Protect™ has been examined and confirmed by two Know-how Readiness Assessments (TRAs) and is designated at Know-how Readiness Degree 8 (TRL 8), a stage the place options, interfaces, and supplies are confirmed and validated to help full manufacturing. What’s so exceptional concerning the TRL 8 designation is that the present Phalanx Protect™ answer has desktop 3D printed elements. At low manufacturing ranges, 3D printed elements will proceed to be a part of the top product. This leads to the financial savings realized by the avoidance of tooling and molds, and likewise in a value and time financial savings offered by on-demand, Simply In Time (JIT) fabrication processes. The financial savings is a direct results of the introduction of 3D printing to the product lifecycle.
With the success of the Phalanx Protect™ answer, Progressive Algorithms is exploring different areas by which 3D printing could also be utilized in different facets of the product lifecycle. Sustainability is one space that’s ripe for change the place product inventories are dictated and the restore and reconfiguration of present merchandise and options are facilitated by 3D printing. Regardless of the case, 3D printing is for certain to be an integral functionality as a part of the total product lifecycle.
Introduction
Procurement of services and products by the DoD is a bit more concerned than simply utilizing a bank card to buy on-line. Lots of the merchandise which are wanted by the DoD, DHS and different governmental entities have specialised necessities that successfully exclude many off-the-shelf merchandise. Many occasions this can be a results of the atmosphere by which the product will probably be used. Usually when in harsh terrain or the place merchandise will probably be dealt with roughly, the answer will must be “hardened” to face up to shock, influence, temperature fluctuations and hostile environments. Because of this, new and/or present applied sciences must be designed and fabricated not solely to function however to outlive in these opposed circumstances. That is the explanation why many instruments and merchandise procured by DoD and different governmental businesses have a better value than comparable options within the business sector.
With additive manufacturing and desktop 3D printing, the acquisition life cycle is poised to avoid wasting on the price of improvement, prototyping, fabrication, and sustainability of the product and product options compared to the standard life cycle. As well as, what is usually misplaced within the quantitative evaluation is the elevated productiveness, innovation, collaboration and improved high quality afforded by 3D printing. Based on Tasha Keeney, an ARK Funding Analyst, “3D printing will collapse the time between design and manufacturing. It’ll shorten lead occasions, cut back prototype prices, produce lighter merchandise and supply for better design complexity in manufacturing.” All of those components are realized because of the capabilities that 3D brings to the procurement desk.
As within the business sector, governmental organizations try to grasp how 3D printing applied sciences will have an effect on the way in which they do enterprise and the way they are going to procure, deploy and maintain full product options over the life cycle of the product. Many envision a complete provide chain transformation of delivering fabrication capabilities nearer to the top person. Different areas of transformation embody system upkeep, logistics and the power to supply hard-to-source elements. Even whereas DoD, DHS and different governmental entities are exploring how desktop 3D printing and additive manufacturing will have an effect on their acquisition mannequin, they are able to take some cues from their product suppliers within the business sector.
Drawback Definition
The general acquisition problem is to find out how distributors, suppliers, and contractors will meet the wants of army and governmental clients in delivering product options in a well timed method and at a lowered value.
Excessive-Degree Answer
Progressive Algorithms is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Enterprise that gives modern improvements for safety and protection. The corporate realized that the one option to ship merchandise and options on time and at lowered value was to make the most of the capabilities offered by desktop 3D printing. Because of this, Progressive Algorithms has utilized a low-cost desktop 3D printer has taken an experimental prototype and delivered a completed product that’s getting used as we speak.
Throughout the improvement of the Phalanx Protect™ functionality, 3D printing was utilized from the beginning. Based on Progressive Algorithms Founder/CEO, Jay Chesnut, “3D printing gave us the liberty to innovate and take possibilities. Solely by 3D printing might we actively discover, progress and validate an entire answer that exceeded the client’s wants and necessities.” Throughout the design and prototyping section (see Determine 2), 3D printing was pivotal within the iterative design course of. Iterative design will increase productiveness and innovation by permitting the designer to prototype and check a number of choices earlier than narrowing in on a remaining design. It additionally improves the standard of the top product by ensuring that each one elements combine and function effectively earlier than spending sources on tooling and fabrication.
Preliminary Prototype
Throughout the previous 4 years, the number of supply supplies and filament for desktop 3D printers has elevated dramatically. The unique desktop filament alternatives of ABS and PLA have given option to product prepared supplies reminiscent of TPE, TPU, Nylon, PETG, and Polycarbonate. The product of selection for the outside and inside casing of the Phalanx Protect™ sensor was PETG. “PETG has been a fantastic materials to satisfy the necessities of sturdiness and talent to face up to harsh circumstances required by our clients,” acknowledged Chesnut.
Outer Casing
PETG proved to be a very good materials for prototyping in addition to a superb materials for the ultimate product. “We’ve but to obtain an order massive sufficient to justify injection molding,” acknowledged Chesnut. “We’ve already coordinated with just a few injection molders who will be capable of transition from 3D printing to full-scale manufacturing. As a way to do this, we’ll want an order within the low lots of to justify utilizing injection molding. Since we take additional effort within the post-processing of the housing, most don’t even know they’re 3D printed. People who don’t are shocked we had been in a position to obtain such a excessive stage of high quality.” Progressive Algorithms realized that desktop 3D printing offered a versatile finish answer at an inexpensive value and with out having to allocate the time and sources mandatory for tooling, injection molding, and full manufacturing.
Accomplished Sensor Earlier than Exterior Ending
Answer Particulars
The Phalanx Protect™ unmanned floor sensor system was derived from a real-world want and developed and produced using superior applied sciences to incorporate desktop 3D printing. Earlier sensors lacked sturdiness and the potential to adapt to altering circumstances and community configurations. Options to this want had been then simply explored and developed using superior networking applied sciences, energy sources and 3D printing.
With 3D printing, speedy prototyping actually grew to become speedy. Designs had been configured, reconfigured and iterated every day. Practical prototypes using a spread of supplies and elements had been simply produced and variations had been positioned in a real-world A/B testing atmosphere. The ultimate prototype and proposed answer had been then prepared for Know-how Readiness Assessments (TRAs) on two totally different events whereas working by the DoD acquisition course of. Chesnut acknowledged that “3D printing offered an infinite quantity of flexibility whereas going by the acquisition course of. We had been in a position to higher outline the necessities and even adapt higher product type and performance with out dropping any time throughout the course of.”
Based on Chesnut, “As we progressed from TRL 3 to TRL 5, we had been in a position to iterate with totally different type components. Progressing from TRL 5 to TRL 8, we had been in a position to fulfill ergonomic and tactile concerns to make a product clients wish to contact and really feel. Each firm needs a possible buyer to fall in love together with your product, or at the very least assume it’s cool to the touch and maintain.”
The Phalanx Protect™ product answer was in a position to obtain a Know-how Readiness Degree 8 (TRL 8) with its present design using PETG as a 3D printed supply materials (see Determine 5). “PETG offered the required tensile power and stability whereas leaving sufficient choices for buyer modifications earlier than we go to TRL 9,” acknowledged Chesnut. “That is the good benefit of 3D printing earlier than transitioning to excessive charge injection molding.”
Completed Product
Enterprise Advantages
The expertise of Progressive Algorithms with desktop 3D printing is just not distinctive. Many firms and organizations within the protection area are experiencing the identical outcomes. Organizations are recording value financial savings not solely on the design and improvement finish but in addition on downstream features reminiscent of manufacturing, fielding, and sustainment. Iterative, repeatable processes save time and speed up the velocity of innovation. Practical prototypes using a variety of supplies are actually the norm and product answer firms may even discover the shape and performance of finish merchandise earlier than transitioning to full manufacturing. Mass customization and manufacturing on an as wanted, JIT foundation are actually doable. All of this has been realized on the preliminary insertion of desktop 3D printing capabilities.
Deliberate Subsequent Technology Design
Inside of Case for Deliberate Subsequent Technology Design
Abstract
The acquisition of services and products by the DoD, DHS and different governmental businesses has simply skilled the primary wave of the consequences of additive manufacturing and 3D printing. Subsequent waves will embody, low quantity manufacturing, digital stock, product enhancement and obsolescence mitigation. From a list perspective, the power to fabricate elements on-site might result in a big discount in extra stock. The Navy, for instance, discovered $7.5 billion price of extra stock in 2008.
This chance for value discount alongside all the product lifecycle is a large motivation for adoption of this know-how. Based on Lieutenant Commander Michael E. Kenney of the Naval Postgraduate Faculty, use of additive manufacturing within the acquisition life cycle would produce a “…return on funding of 221.24%.” Commander Kenney additionally acknowledged that by additive manufacturing within the upkeep cycle“…the quantity of rework was lowered by 45%, affecting and thereby lowering the period of time to supply and restore elements from 39.5 man hours to 22.7 man hours, a discount of 57%.” These are highly effective arguments for the implementation and use of 3D printing applied sciences.
As additive manufacturing and desktop 3D printing capabilities have developed, so have the true world eventualities and finish use instances. People who wait to journey the 3D printing know-how wave could be left behind. It’s crucial that each one product and repair producers discover the combination of this know-how into their particular person enterprise processes to stay aggressive.
