CRACUNS flying and diving 3D printed drone

Johns Hopkins University developed 3d printed quadcopter drone that can both fly and be submerged under water. Since it was developed in cooperation with the military it will be probably be used as a weapon system sometime in the future. Cool technology, but we need more food delivery drones and less war-bots. It is named CRACUNS, which stands for "Corrosion Resistant Aerial Covert Unmanned Nautical System".




From the news article:

“Engineers at APL have long worked on both Navy submarine systems and autonomous UAVs,” said Jason Stipes of APL’s Sea Control Mission Area, project manager for CRACUNS. “In response to evolving sponsor challenges, we were inspired to develop a vehicle that could operate both underwater and in the air.” The resulting CRACUNS prototype system was developed and tested using internal research and development funding.

CRACUNS enables new capabilities not possible with existing UAV or UUV platforms. Its ability to operate in the harsh littoral (shore) environment, as well as its payload flexibility, enables a wide array of potential missions.
The most innovative feature of CRACUNS is that it can remain at and launch from a significant depth without needing structural metal parts or machined surfaces.To make that possible, the team needed to overcome two big challenges. First, the APL team leveraged advances in additive manufacturing and novel fabrication techniques available at the Laboratory’s extensive fabrication facilities. The team fabricated a lightweight, submersible, composite airframe able to withstand the water pressure experienced while submerged.

The second significant challenge was to ensure CRACUNS could not just survive, but operate effectively in a corrosive saltwater environment. To do that, the APL team sealed the most sensitive components in a dry pressure vessel. For the motors that are exposed to salt water, APL applied commercially available protective coatings. The team tested the performance of the motors by submerging them in salt water. Two months later, they showed no sign of corrosion and continued to operate while submerged.

Full press release:

http://www.jhuapl.edu/newscenter/pressreleases/2016/160317.asp

Syknet will know how to use this little guy

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Raytheon can 3d print military missiles

One year ago I wrote a post about research on making 3d printed warheads and missiles:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2014/07/us-military-will-3d-print-warheads-and.html

And now it is reality...

Raytheon, one of the major defense companies,  announced that it has technology to 3d print most of the rocket. Another victory for humanity. No, it's not but it will make some profit for them probably.


Here is the summary from their press release:

Researchers at Raytheon Missile Systems say they have already created nearly every component of a guided weapon using additive manufacturing, more commonly known as 3-D printing. The components include rocket engines, fins, parts for the guidance and control systems, and more.

“You could potentially have these in the field,” said Jeremy Danforth, a Raytheon engineer who has printed working rocket motors. “Machines making machines. The user could [print on demand]. That’s the vision.”

The progress is part of a companywide push into additive manufacturing and 3-D printing, including projects meant to supplement traditional manufacturing processes. Engineers are exploring the use of 3-D printing to lay down conductive materials for electrical circuits, create housings for the company's revolutionary gallium nitride transmitters, and fabricate fins for guided artillery shells.

The process may reduce costs associated with traditional manufacturing, such as machining of parts. It allows for quick design and rapid changes because engineers only need change the digital model representing the part. As long as they stay within set parameters, they can have new parts in hours instead of weeks.

“You can design internal features that might be impossible to machine,” said Raytheon engineer Travis Mayberry, who is researching future uses of additive manufacturing and 3-D printing. “We’re trying new designs for thermal improvements and lightweight structures, things we couldn’t achieve with any other manufacturing method.”

Here is the photo of the missile model:

Source: Raytheon

Detailed Raytheon post about their new missile technology:

http://www.raytheon.com/news/feature/3d_printing.html


War is hell guys. We really don't need more weapons. We need more efficient ways to feed the world, not new ways to kill people ...

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US military will 3d print warheads and missiles for combat

Two weeks ago I posted about BEA Systems drones with internal 3d printing. In that post I wrote:

I also have slight suspicion that someone will want to 3d print bombs on-board of military aircraft. Still, all limitations remain. Why send something very expensive and heavy when you have proven delivery methods? Maybe some tactician is thinking of highly customized munition for very demanding missions with uncertain parameters for high-value targets.

Today I found put in article by Vice that this technology is actually in practical development:

“3D printing of warheads will allow us to have better design control and utilize geometries and patterns that previously could not be produced or manufactured,” James Zunino, a researcher at the Armament Research, Engineering and Design Center (ARDEC) in Picatinny, New Jersey, told Motherboard in an email.

The ability to print parts previously unimaginable using traditional manufacturing methods could radically open up the possibilities when it comes to what a warhead can do. For example, warheads using 3D-printed components could be designed to be more compact in order to pack in additional payloads, sensors, and safety mechanisms. Planning for printed parts in the design process will also allow the army to precisely engineer the blast radius of warheads for maximum effect.

“Warheads could be designed to meet specific mission requirements whether it is to improve safety to meet an Insensitive Munitions requirement, or it could have tailorable effects, better control, and be scalable to achieve desired lethality,” Zunino wrote.
As an organization with a shrinking budget—except when it comes to drones—the army weighs the cost of human life against that of building the instruments of its eventual liquidation. One cross-industry advantage of 3D printing is its cost-effectiveness since it enables the printing of complex structures in one go, instead of the many individual parts that go into it. Missiles are no different.

“3D printing also allows for integrating components together to add capabilities at reduced total life cycle costs,” Zunino explained. “It is expected that 3D printing will reduce life-cycle costs of certain items and make munitions more affordable in the long run through implementation of design for manufacturability, and capitalizing on the add capabilities that 3D printing and additive manufacturing can bring to munitions and warheads.”

The army doesn’t plan on stopping at merely printing warhead components, either. Eventually, they want to print the whole damn thing in one go. “Maybe someday an entire warhead or rocket could be produced as the technology further matures,” Zunino wrote.

BEA Systems wanted this type of technology by 2040, but it looks like there will be 3d printed warheads much sooner.

I searched around and found an DIY project where someone 3d printed plastic sabot round on a  Makerbot to be fired from homemade combustion cannon. The future will be very interesting.

Source: http://www.itclips.net/2013/02/20/touring-the-labs-at-make-hq-3-2/

In reality, the actual 3d printed warhead will probably look something like this:

Rytheon STM, source: http://weapons.technology.youngester.com/2011/04/new-warhead-small-tactical-munition.html

It is Rytheon's Small Tactical Munition, a new weapon specifically designed to be employed from unmanned aircraft systems. STM is a 13 pound guided munition that is approximately 2 feet long, making it the smallest air-launched weapon in the Raytheon portfolio. It has a 5 pound warhead. It is small, light and lethal and enables drones to fly longer, further and attack more targets.

So, it is possible that there will be small 3d printing factories in forward military air bases that will create munition similar to this, cutting the cost, reducing the need for supply lines and making custom munition for any purpose like anti personnel with more fragmentation, material penetration with more mass, anti-armor with shaped charges. For those small drone bombs plastic materials could be used or even locally sourced materials. Only non-printable parts are currently guidance unit, explosives and fuse. 

Those digital fabrication production cells could also make replacement parts for the drones themselves.  

War is hell people, we need more food and less bombs.   

Army Technology publication with focus on 3D printing:

http://usarmy.vo.llnwd.net/e2/c/downloads/352196.pdf

Source article: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-army-is-3d-printing-warheads

Update (19.7.2015.):

Raytheon announced it can print almost all the parts needed for guided rocket ammunition:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2015/07/raytheon-can-3d-print-military-missiles.html

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BAE Systems wants to have drones onboard 3d printing drones by 2040

BAE Systems is major military and aerospace technology company and they have presented some future concepts.

Scientists and engineers at BAE Systems have lifted the lid on some futuristic technologies that could be incorporated in military and civil aircraft of 2040 or even earlier.

Smaller unmanned aircraft -- or UAVs -- are created by super high-tech on-board 3D printers, via Additive Layer Manufacturing and robotic assembly techniques. The 3D printers respond to data fed to them by a remote control room where a human commander decides what should be produced.

The UAVs are best suited to each scenario -- be it a group of wide-winged aircraft for protracted or enduring surveillance -- or rotary-winged UAVs to rescue single civilians or soldiers from dangerous situations. After use the UAVs could render themselves useless through dissolving circuit boards or they might safely land in a recoverable position if re-use was required.

This creates the ultimate adaptable taskforce, with a lead aircraft able to enter any unknown scenario and quickly manufacture an effective toolset for any task.

Now, let's think about this:

1. They want to do it by 2040. I am firm believer in technology, but this is going to require some STAR TREK technology guys.
2.  If you don't develop micro fusion reactors and energy-matter conversion tech, this thing will have to carry a LOT of wight in machinery and mass for 3d printing. 
3. Even if some similar but less developed technology is implemented, why would anyone send ultra high tech extremely expensive craft to rescue people in natural disasters when HELICOPTERS are well developed and widely used. 
4. I also have slight suspicion that someone will want to 3d print bombs on-board of military aircraft. Still, all limitations remain. Why send something very expensive and heavy when you have proven delivery methods? Maybe some tactician is thinking of highly customized munition for very demanding missions with uncertain parameters for high-value targets. 
5. To conclude: maybe someone should develop 3d printed guided sandwiches so we can feed all the hungry with high precision. Make food, not bombs. PEACE! 

BAE Systems page with more advanced technology future concepts like transforming drones, self-healing drones and other:

http://www.baesystems.com/enhancedarticle/BAES_168290/aircraft-technologies-of-the-future

UPDATE:

Only two weeks from this article there is a confirmation that US military is actually working on 3d printed warheads:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2014/07/us-military-will-3d-print-warheads-and.html

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Sciaky metal 3d printing with electron beam and metal wire

Large size industrial manufacturing with metal 3d printing using metal wire and electron beam to deposit it layer by layer. Game-changing technologies evolving in front of us.

EBAM technology works with following materials:

• Titanium and Titanium alloys
• Inconel 718, 625
• Tantalum
• Tungsten
• Niobium
• Stainless Steels (300 series)
• 2319, 4043 Aluminum
• 4340 Steel
• Zircalloy
• 70-30 Copper Nickel
• 70-30 Nickel Copper

Sciaky homepage:

http://www.sciaky.com/direct_manufacturing.html


This is a picture of a metal part product on Sciaky machine:

What is a price of Sciaky machines? Well, If you have to ask you can not afford it. They do not list the prices which is common practice among industrial equipment manufacturers.

Update (15.5.2015.):

Sciaky announced a release of several new electron beam 3d printers for industrial applications. next to their well known flagship large volume EBAM 300 series, Sciaky has released the EBAM 150, 110, 88, and 68, with nominal part volumes all listed below:

• EBAM 150: 146” (3708 mm) wide x 62” (1575 mm) deep x 62” (1575 mm) high
• EBAM 110: 106” (2692 mm) wide x 47” (1194 mm) deep x 63” (1600 mm) high
• EBAM 88: 84” (2134 mm) wide x 35” (889 mm) deep x 63” (1600 mm) high
• EBAM 68: 64” (1625 mm) wide x 25” (635 mm) deep x 63” (1600 mm) high

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Industrial 3d printers and 3d printing of drones

They show almost fully printed functional drone aircraft.

http://uav-solutions.com/

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Off topic: How to make high performance drone in 27 days

Can you guess how? I think 3d printing had something to do with it (it is mentioned but not shown)

Boeing's Phantom Swift X-Plane

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3d printed aircraft from University of Southampton

Engineers at the University of Southampton have designed and flown the first 3d printed aircraft. Nice project!
It was printed on EOS EOSINT P730 industrial 3d printer. Hopefully someone will create something similar for DIY crowd.

Here are some videos:






Update:

SULSA drone is now launched from the Royal Navy battleship:

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