Military vehicles and weapons systems operate in harsh, austere environments that constantly punish parts and create the need for maintenance and repair. Unfortunately, a weapon system or military vehicle in need of repair is one that can’t benefit the warfighter – negatively impacting their readiness, survivability, and lethality.

What happens when a part breaks on a weapons system or vehicle? If it’s replaceable, a part is ordered and shipped to the tactical edge so that the vehicle can be made functional again. If it’s beyond repair, military personnel will usually abandon the weapon or vehicle, making sure it’s inoperable so that it can’t be repaired and used by the enemy. Either way, the warfighter is without that vehicle or weapon while waiting for the part to arrive, or indefinitely.

But what if there was a way to print a replacement part in theater that’s just as durable as the original, damaged part?

The GovDesignHub recently had the opportunity to speak with Eric Schnell, the founder and CEO of Craitor, a company revolutionizing the military’s ability to maintain and repair vehicles and weapons systems in the field. During our discussion, Eric explained how advanced manufacturing can improve the readiness, survivability, and lethality of the warfighter, how the Marine Corps is taking a leadership role in bringing this technology to the battlefield, and how digital twins can even enable preventative maintenance.

Here is the first part of our conversation:

GovDesignHub (GDH): What is Craitor? What’s your mission and what’re you trying to accomplish?

Eric Shnell: Craitor is a company that was first founded by a group of undergraduate students out of UC San Diego, that started working alongside the U.S. Marine Corps. We were working with a group called the Digital Manufacturing Unit, which is a group of Marines that were

tasked with finding out how this new and exciting thing of 3D printing can help support their mission of finding ways to make maintenance and manufacturing more agile – both in the field and back at the base.

When we originally started with them, they were struggling because 3D printing was not meant to be used in that application. At the time, rapid prototyping, and other engineering work similar to that were the only viable, proven use cases. We saw that they were spending more time working around the limitations of 3D printing companies, instead of having 3D printing companies working around their limitations.

So, we decided to do something about that.

“We wanted to create the ability to manufacture critical components where and when they’re needed through 3D printing for the DoD.” — Eric Shnell

After working with them for about six months as technical advisors, we started Craitor. Our mission is to create a company that builds 3D printing solutions that enable the potential of expeditionary manufacturing. We wanted to create the ability to manufacture critical components where and when they’re needed through 3D printing for the DoD. Beyond that, we feel these technologies could play a role in other expeditionary industries, such as oil, gas, and mining. It could also be used in disaster relief, field medical hospitals, and other use cases.

This started our collaboration with the Marine Corps through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).

GDH: On your website, you say you’re developing your 3D printer in collaboration with the Marine Corps. What role are they playing in the development of this solution?

Eric Shnell: We do this through the CRADA between us and the Marine Corps. This CRADA is focused on the development, iteration, and deployment of this technology. The CRADA enables us to work on base at Camp Pendleton, and work directly with Marines every day.

“Not only do we 3D print parts that they use, but they enable us to go into the field alongside them during their field exercises to test these parts in a practical environment.” — Eric Shnell

Not only do we 3D print parts that they use, but they enable us to go into the field alongside them during their field exercises to test these parts in a practical environment. With this constant feedback loop and close interaction with the Marine Corps, we’ve managed to develop and build our mechanical system. We currently have our first production units being developed as a pilot run.

In addition to developing our solution, we’re also developing procedures and best practices that we can pass along to them. What they receive from us is not only an understanding of how far the technology can go but also what the optimal use of it is. We go in there and make mistakes, then pass on that information to our partners in the Marine Corps, so that they can develop a plan of action to target the best way to implement 3D printing.

Our 3D printer represents the most expeditionary field unit possible. It’s meant to go to the edge of the supply chain.

There are multiple cases of 3D printing being used in the depot, on base, in warehouses, and in other places where extra expeditionary capability isn’t needed. In these use cases, the ability to print something much larger is preferred, but portability isn’t required. But what if they want something that can print faster? What is they need something that can print in theater? We are currently working with other companies in the industry to help potentially provide that.

“There are multiple cases of 3D printing being used in the depot, on base, in warehouses, and in other places where extra expeditionary capability isn’t needed.” — Eric Shnell

GDH: Can you give our readers an intro to what digital twinning is? How does this help warfighters and military personnel?

Eric Shnell: A “digital twin” is essentially the digital version of a physical part. The digital twin is generated alongside this physical part, and it stores information on that part at the most granular level. Every critical OEM part in the field has a serial number. We track how often we do maintenance on that part and system, how often that part might fail, and how it fails. Then all of that is tracked and logged within the digital twin.

This digital twin essentially has all this information that we can then compile and make products smarter. So, if we understand the durability of a part, and what conditions a part can operate in, then we can engage in preventative maintenance beforehand. We can either prevent an issue in the field and extend its lifetime, or just swap it out before it becomes an issue.

We can create a more intelligent supply chain with this kind of information and set military personnel up for success in the field.

To learn more about how additive manufacturing can help the military, click HERE.