Meltio validated for use with Korean Army

Marine Corps Logistics Group amphibious vehicle maintenance crews demonstrate additive manufacturing capabilities using a robot-based metal 3-D printer

After recently being validated by the US Navy, the French Navy, and the Spanish Army and Air Force, along with other military forces across the EMEA region, the Army of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) has now certified Meltio’s unique wire-laser technology.

Additionally, this marks the first time the Army of the Republic of Korea has decided to integrate metal additive manufacturing (AM) solutions for spare parts and repairs, gaining autonomy over conventional and more costly manufacturing processes. This achievement has been made possible through a collaboration agreement between Meltio and AM Solutions, which has enabled the extension of this initiative to the Korean Army.

According to an extended article published by the South Korean magazine Kookbang and confirmed by its partner, AM Solutions, the Marine Corps Logistics Group is the first in the entire military to use robot-based metal 3-D printers for logistics support. As a result, it has become possible to quickly manufacture or repair parts that are discontinued or difficult to procure. It is expected that field maintainability will also be greatly improved as it can be moved by crane or forklift.

Lieutenant Colonel Kim Seong-nam of the Republic of Korea, commander of the maintenance battalion, said: “The introduction of metal 3-D printers is significant not only for reducing operation and maintenance costs, but also for preventing delays in maintenance schedules due to limited procurement of repair parts.”

Significant milestone
Daejung Kim, AM Solutions CEO, said: ”The successful introduction of Meltio’s outstanding technology into the Republic of Korea marks a significant milestone in local manufacturing innovation.” He added that this entry into the defence sector is just the beginning, and through a continuous partnership with Meltio, they aim to lead Republic of Korea’s advanced industries in other sectors requiring AM.

Adam Hourigan, Meltio sales manager for the APAC region, said: “The defence sector is strategic for Meltio. Our technology is being validated by armies all over the world and for us it is very positive that thanks to collaboration agreements with relevant partners in Asia, such as AM Solutions, we are able to help with our different 3-D metal wire welding printing solutions the Army of the Republic of Korea to gain autonomy in manufacturing and creating metal parts in a reliable and sustainable way.”

On 19 February, the Republic of Korea Marine Corps Logistics Group announced: “We have introduced a container-type mobile metal 3-D printer to quickly and smoothly provide logistics support, such as manufacturing parts in-house to cope with the limited procurement and discontinuation of repair parts for Marine Corps-specific equipment, including the amphibious assault armoured vehicle (KAAV).”

Although various military branches have used 3-D printers to manufacture discontinued maintenance and repair parts, the Marine Corps Logistics Group is the first to implement a robot-based mobile 3-D printer.

Reliably producing metal parts
The Meltio metal 3-D printer introduced in this initiative uses the Laser Wire Directed Energy Deposition (LW-DED) method. This advanced metal AM technology works by melting metal wire with a laser beam and layering it to form a three-dimensional structure. Compared to other metal AM techniques, DED technology significantly reduces material waste, making it a cost-effective solution for manufacturing. Meltio systems are capable of reliably producing metal parts using stainless steel, titanium, copper, Inconel, and a wide range of other metal alloys.

Thanks to AM Solutions, Meltio offers the Korean Army its unique Meltio Integration Kit for Industrial Robots. This system turns an industrial robot arm into a metal 3-D printing system eliminating inherent size constraints, allowing for large-scale metal 3-D printing, including complex geometries. It is the ideal platform for large-scale 3-D printing, repair, cladding, and adding features to existing parts.

The Meltio engine seamlessly integrates with nearly any robotic arm manufacturer and interface available on the market. Its Meltio Space slicer software for robotic systems is fully compatible with ABB, Kuka, Fanuc and Yaskawa robots. Another strength is that it has improved ‘field operability’ by allowing maintenance while moving in a vehicle. This is why metal 3-D printers are used in the maintenance of the Marine Corps’ main combat assets.