Quick summary
• Partnership: US Navy MIBP + General Dynamics Electric Boat + Lincoln Electric.
• Scope: Four large-scale WAAM (wire-arc) systems in Cleveland to make critical sub components.
• Aim: Reduce material bottlenecks and shorten build timelines for the submarine enterprise.
Lincoln Electric will produce mission-critical submarine components by wire-arc additive manufacturing at its Cleveland facility under a collaboration with the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base Program and General Dynamics Electric Boat. The project is sized for four SculptPrint™ large-scale WAAM cells, and is described as Lincoln’s largest government-backed WAAM investment to date.
For welding professionals, the notable point is welding-based AM at production scale. WAAM uses arc welding with wire feed, so it fits welding shops’ skills, procedures, and consumables more naturally than powder-bed systems. Program leaders say 3D-printed parts can cut lead times for hard-to-source items, addressing material availability that has delayed sub construction.
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