NATO STO

The scientific objectivesl focus on validating the efficacy of on-demand AM processes to support forward deployed medical assets, confirming the primary NATO countries that use or plan to use these capabilities, establishing the fundamental questions that must be addressed to establish AM as NATO capability and developing a plan for a more comprehensive workshop to explore these questions. The overarching question is whether these additive manufacturing protocols will provide more effective supply chain support over and above the current model of hub and spoke supply chain models for Class VIII medical material and what additional science and technology investments are required to make AM an effective MEDLOG capability. Additive manufacturing is the construction of a three-dimensional object from computer aided design (CAD) models or a digital 3D model. Originally, the term additive manufacturing was used to refer to a process that deposits a binder material onto a powder bed with inkjet printer heads layer by layer. More recently, the popular vernacular has started using the term to encompass a wider variety of additive-manufacturing techniques such as electron-beam additive manufacturing and selective laser melting. Additive manufacturing has seen tremendous success within the commercial sector. For example, the aviation industry has leveraged additive manufacturing to reduce cost, reduce the number of nonconforming parts, reduce weight in the engines to increase fuel efficiency and find new, highly complex shapes that would not be feasible with the antiquated manufacturing methods. From a medical perspective, these applications suggest AM could play an important role in streamlining MEDLOG. Medical supply chain doctrine relies on a hub and spoke approach where large warehouses are leveraged as central storage points and supplies are then “pushed” forward to various platforms as needed. However, this reactionary model causes extensive delays within the supply chain resulting in delays of needed Class VIII materials in weeks to months. A more proactive approach is one in which the ability to procure needed Class VIII material is provided as close to the medical platform as possible. AM has the promise to provide that ability.