随着海军60年代海鹰直升机的海军舰队，将进行通信系统升级，engineers at the H-60 FleET支持团队已为该项目采用3D打印。
Specifically, over 200 units of the multi-mission aircraft will bereceiving new Full Motion Video (FMV) systems to extend their operational capabilities. To secure the new systems to the Seahawks, structural and avionics engineers at the舰队准备中心东（FRCE）原型的安装组件，其中包括两个3D印刷天线架。坐骑是在增材制造团队的帮助下开发的Naval Air Systems Command(NAVAIR) headquarters in Maryland.
Tommy Stokes, a structures engineer for the FRCE, explains: “The modification consists of three antennas, an equipment rack and a series of electronics mounted to the rack. The [two] 3D printed omnidirectional antenna mounts are getting a lot of attention, because it’s a relatively new technology.”
Time and cost-effective production
其中两个坐骑是出于多种原因打印的3D。首先，他们将要支撑的天线相对较轻，这意味着安装座不会承受重大的结构载荷或应力。与更传统的方法相比，由于3D打印的组件往往缺乏力量部门，因此较轻的负载意味着这并不是一个破坏交易的人。
更重要的是,加法制造提供这most time and cost-effective route to production – this was especially important given the tight deadlines delivered by the program office. Other methods such as a traditional composite layup were explored, but the lead times and costs associated with developing a mold were simply too high, even with plans to mass produce over 200 components.
结构团队是设计零件和集成计划的人，并签约了坐骑的制造。但是，航空电子团队一直在努力维护项目的技术指令和安装数据包。在进行任何生产之前，FRCE工程师寻求技术领域的结构，3D打印，复合材料甚至电磁环境影响的建议。
With the design virtually finalized, the 3D printed mounts and the rest of the FMV are now in the early evaluation stages to ensure everything fits together as intended. Following this, the assembly will be validated on a fleet aircraft and a final verification of the technical directive will be performed.
Chad King, an avionics engineer with the FRCE, adds: “As avionics, we’ll be responsible for testing the functionality of the system once it’s been installed on a fleet aircraft. We’ll also be responsible for generating all of the organizational-level maintenance procedures and periodic maintenance requirements for the system.”
武装部队的增材制造
到目前为止，美国军方对增材制造及其收益并不陌生。今年早些时候，engineers from theOklahoma City Air Logistics Complexbecame thefirst to successfully test a3D印刷金属组件在美国空军飞机发动机内部。所讨论的一部分是抗冰垫圈，安装在TF33-P103发动机中，该发动机为B-52 Stratoforts等飞机提供动力。
Elsewhere,这空军生命周期管理中心S B-2计划办公室最近还决定为3D打印保护组件B-2精神，又名隐形轰炸机。永久防护盖将在飞机驾驶舱内的机身安装辅助驱动器（AMAD）的脱钩开关上固定。
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Featured image shows the U.S. Navy’s MH-60S Seahawk helicopter. Photo via US Navy.
