3-D Printing
aka Additive Manufacturing


It's The Next Big Thing — And It's Happening Now!

Sounds like Science Fiction or Magic, but 3-D Printing is real, and it’s moving at a very rapid rate. A complicated process, 3-D Printing has come a long way from its coarse beginnings in the 1980s to the eye-popping, accurate, more affordable and dependable method of manufacture that it is now. 3-D Printing is currently often called Additive Manufacturing because of the added layering that occurs during the replication process allowing objects to become highly detailed. Various processes are used to create everything from medical devices to jewelry to machine parts or whole large objects and more.

Aerospace and Medicine have embraced 3-D Printing concepts and uses with great success. Business and Retail are not far behind, and now the Military is looking into application of this revolutionary type of operation for speed and efficacy. The 3-D method of manufacture for replacement of parts can dramatically improve repair work down time, eliminate distribution and inventory problems, and increase accessibility to “things”, all highly desirable actions in a mobile military setting.

Astronauts on the Space Station have already used 3-D Printing to replicate a wrench that was requested. It was an incredible time and money saving option. No doubt that such application could also be a time, money, and lifesaving benefit to the warfighter in the field.

R W Appleton & Co is a leader in promoting, with its partner Troika Solutions, efforts in the advancement of 3-D Printing in the Department of Defense. Please reference links on the Menu below for credentials, highlights of activities, and news notes toward these endeavors.

R W Appleton is certified by Society of Manufacturing Engineers in Additive Manufacturing

R W Appleton is a Member of ASTM (previously known as the American Society for Testing Materials) an international standards organization that investigates, formulates, and informs on technical standards for materials, methods, and services.

R W Appleton is a Committee Member of ASTM – F42. This Committee of ASTM sets the standards for Additive Manufacturing.

R W Appleton is a Member of NDIA, The National Defense Industrial Association, an organization that connects government officials and the military with outside industry organizations.

R W Appleton is a Member of SME, the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

R W Appleton is a Member of AMUG, the Additive Manufacturing Users Group.

R W Appleton is a member of the SAE, Society of Automotive Engineers.