HII is expanding the use of additive manufacturing throughout our business to improve efficiencies while engineering, constructing and maintaining Navy ships. Our continued advances in this area propel our progress in safety and affordability.

Following the March announcement of our Newport News Shipbuilding division receiving additive manufacturing certification from Naval Sea Systems Command, Breaking Defense looks at what this approval means for future opportunities. Read the story below:

HII gets Navy’s green light to expand use of 3D printed parts in shipyards

(April 5, 2023 by Justin Katz)

SEA AIR SPACE 2023 — Naval Sea Systems Command has given HII the green light to begin using certain stainless steel, 3D printed materials in its shipyards, a key approval that a company executive says will open the door to more broadly using additive manufacturing across naval platforms.

The certification, which the company announced early last month, allows for HII to begin using a stainless steel alloy known as “316/316L” to produce pipefittings and other components on aircraft carriers and submarines.

But John Ralls, deputy chief engineer for additive manufacturing for Newport News Shipbuilding, told Breaking Defense in an interview leading up to the Sea Air Space exposition the approval has greater implications.

You can read the full story at Breaking Defense.