The U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) in Tullahoma, Tenn., wants additive manufacturing to aid the building of parts for DoD hypersonic test facilities, including Northrop Grumman's [NOC] Hypersonic Aerothermal and Propulsion Clean-Air Testbed (HAPCAT) plant in Ronkonkoma, N.Y., on Long Island. The use of additive manufacturing is to facilitate hypersonic ground testing. While traditional building techniques use machining, additive manufacturing takes advantage of 3D models and advanced fiber materials to build items layer by layer. "The DoD’s…
