FMD Ships First-Ever 3D-Printed SUBSAFE Level 1 Component

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) reached a milestone for the submarine fleet, announcing the shipment of the first-ever additively manufactured SUBSAFE Level I component. The part is a copper-nickel (CuNi) 2" angled tailpiece, produced in collaboration with our partners at Lincoln Electric Additive Solutions.

 SUBSAFE and Level I requirements are the most demanding engineering and quality assurance standards in the U.S. Navy. Producing an additively manufactured part of this caliber marks a significant step toward the normalization of 3D-printed submarine parts, which is a critical enabler for submarine fleet maintenance and sustainment. 

The part accomplished the following:

• First-ever additively manufactured component qualified to Level I and SUBSAFE requirements, meeting the Navy's most stringent standards 
• Full Government Contract Quality Assurance (GCQA) compliance from start to finish
• Additive manufacturing in place of traditional casting, reducing lead times and strengthening the defense industrial base 
• Qualification supported by UNDEX (underwater explosion shock testing) testing of a separate additively manufactured tailpiece