When the U.S. Coast Guard was unable to procure a wiring system part that affected its entire fleet of MH-60T helicopters in late November, they turned to the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Additive Manufacturing (AM) Team. Thanks to a collaborative workplace culture between services and a recognition for urgent solutions at the time of need, the Coast Guard kept its aircraft flying without a break in operations. As members of the Coast Guard prepared to upgrade the MH-60T Automatic Asset Tracking System’s (AATS) wiring system and distribute it to the fleet, they noticed one item was missing. “All the parts must be in the kit before the upgrade is pushed out to the fleet,” explained Lt. Cmdr. Andrew Armstrong, Surface Forces Logistics Center Industrial Operations Division National Industrial Enterprise, Organic Depot Maintenance branch chief and Surface Fleet Additive Manufacturing lead. “One unique wiring part, the AATS spacer mount, was unavailable via commercial means; the only approved fabrication method to meet this need is additive manufacturing (AM),” he said. The Coast Guard’s AM team ran into another problem after its AM shop designed, printed a prototype and began to manufacture the spacing mount. The material to 3D print it, called […]
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