Portsmouth Naval Shipyard has completed inspection, testing and installation of the first welded additive manufactured flange aboard the USS Washington, marking a milestone for submarine maintenance. The component, installed on March 18 following testing on March 9, represents one of the first uses of such technology on an in-service submarine.

U.S. Navy installs first welded additively manufactured flange on USS Washington in submarine maintenance milestone

  The flange, produced using additive manufacturing techniques from copper-nickel material, is the first of its kind to be welded at a U.S. public shipyard. The effort reflects a broader push to integrate advanced manufacturing solutions into operational naval platforms. The initiative followed a directive to accelerate adoption of additive manufacturing across the submarine force, […]

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