The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex (OC-ALC) and Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s (AFLCMC) Propulsion Directorate, along with industry partner General Electric, recently opened the Complex’s second Reverse Engineering and Critical Tooling (REACT) lab which hosts 3D metal printers procured under the Pacer Edge Program. In attendance were key stakeholders of the Pacer Edge team from the Defense Logistic Agency’s Strategic Contracts Organization, the Air Force’s Rapid Sustainment Office, and the Air Force Research Lab.
The Pacer Edge Program is a partnership between government and industry designed to provide cutting-edge technology that increases production speed and reduces the cost of sustainment by leveraging additive manufacturing to produce critical aircraft and engine components that are safe, suitable, and reliable. The program’s goal is to increase Air Force weapon system readiness by combating diminishing sources of manufacturing, supply, and repair.
(From left to right) Amy Gowder, president & CEO of GE Military Systems, John Sneden, director of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Propulsion Directorate, Maj. Gen. Jeff King, commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, Geoffrey Camp, director of Oklahoma’s Aerospace and Defense initiative, and Chris Schuppe, general manager of engineering and technology at GE Additive, stand in front of a 3D printer. Photographer: 2nd Lt Leyinzca Bihlajama
As part of the Pacer Edge Program, two alloy metal 3D printers were unveiled. The printers showcase the Air Force’s growing ability to additively manufacture metal aircraft and engine components. Safety of Flight related parts will need to be certified by the Air Force’s Airworthiness Certification Authority before being put into use.
Manufacturing on Demand
“The printer will be used for the production of propulsion items such as tooling and engine parts,” said Jason McCurry, Reverse Engineering, and Critical Tooling flight chief. “The biggest impact is the ability to produce parts that are no longer manufactured.” Beyond supporting aged systems affected by diminishing manufacturing sources – the Pacer Edge Program can reduce production time by 80 percent.
“The propulsion directorate embraced additive manufacturing because of one big strategic reason and that is to improve propulsion readiness for the warfighter,” said John Sneden, director of Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Propulsion Directorate. “Additive manufacturing puts us in the driver’s seat so we can source those low volume, hard to get parts at the speed of need.”
1003 Maj. Gen. Jeff King, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex commander, addresses guests at the ribbon cutting for the second Reverse Engineering and Critical Tooling lab. Photographer: 2nd Lt Leyinzca Bihlajama
“Through this partnership, we bought the rights to the tech data and now we have the machines here and GE is training us to use them,” said Maj. Gen. Jeff King, OC-ALC commander. “They are guiding us through this process that will help speed the airworthiness certification process which produces high-quality parts faster and still preserves that high level of safety that we require for our warfighters.”
The program has successfully developed two engine-related, airworthy, metal 3D printed parts that are flying today – one for the B-52 Stratofortress, and another for the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. OC-ALC and AFLCMC/LP have more than a dozen more parts currently in development.
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Author: Edward Wakefield
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