FOAM Pod Part Qualification and Structural/Software Backbone Maturation

The Field Optimized Advanced Manufacturing (FOAM) Pod is an expeditionary system that produces structural parts out of metal, composite, ceramic, or plastic in less than 3 days. The FOAM pod delivers what you need, where you need it, when you need it. Dynovas and the ExOne Company (now a part of Desktop Metal) have aligned the maturation of the Field Optimized Advanced Manufacturing (FOAM pod) with the need expressed and parts provided by the end use customer: the warfighter. Dynovas has received expressed support (engineering activity and part identification), technical points of contact, and/or an initial parts list from a number of agencies, including: United States Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Combat Systems (GVCS) and Army DEVCOM Armaments Center. Collectively, the group expressing needs covers the range of RDT&E for future combat capabilities, through operational systems and maintenance, to expeditionary units. Across each mission profile, the need is consistent: downrange supply chain resiliency, speed, and adaptability are a must.  The FOAM pod produced parts can be used as a stop gap for repair to maintain mission tempo, as replacements for obsolescent parts with no operating production line, and with additional qualification and testing, as operational replacement hardware saving the warfighter months in downtime and $Millions in redundant weapons systems and inventory reduction. The FOAM pod can produce structural parts out of metals, composites, and ceramics that fit within a cubic foot volume.  In Phase II, Dynovas will produce components specified by the Army (or other interested agency) that are in compliance with form, fit, and function of the released technical data packs. The components will be lifecycle tested, including environmental exposure and fatigue. The parts will be produced by the FOAM pod system. Both the structural and software backbone of the FOAM pod system will be matured as part of this Phase II. The focus of this Phase II is on the initial insertion of the FOAM pod and FOAM pod produced parts with the end users (the warfighter) as an alternative supply option for O&M to maintain mission tempo. Acceptance by the services will enable DLA to establish the FOAM pod as a potential solution for point of need supply. During the continued development, the FOAM pod will also provide DLA a test bed for demonstrating JAMMEX, data security, and material supply chains for expeditionary manufacturing capabilities.                 The culmination of this Phase II will be the demonstration of the FOAM pod and FOAM pod produced parts at TRL 7+, alignment with acquisition funding for expeditionary deployment demonstrators (for example with the Army or Navy on exercises), and additional proliferation of the use of additive technologies for metal, composite, plastic, and ceramic part repair/replacement.