Newport News Shipbuilding installs first 3D-printed valve manifold assembly on an aircraft carrier

HII's Newport News Shipbuilding division has successfully installed the first valve manifold assembly created by additive manufacturing technology on a new construction aircraft carrier.

NNS continues to integrate additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, into the shipbuilding process.

According to HII, the use of certified 3D-printed parts has the potential to accelerate construction and delivery of vessels to the US Navy by cutting lead times and improving manufacturing quality for critical components.

The valve manifold assembly, a specialized assembly that allows distribution of a single source of fluid to multiple points on the ship, is installed in a pump room on the Gerald R Ford-class aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN 80).

The assembly is approximately five feet long and 1,000 pounds. NNS collaborated with DM3D Technology to manufacture the manifold body.

Similar manifolds planned for Doris Miller (CVN 81) will employ additive manufacturing rather than traditional casting methods, reducing schedule risk and improving efficiency.

“What started as a proof of concept quickly turned into a tangible result that is making a meaningful difference to improve efficiencies in shipbuilding,” said Dave Bolcar, NNS Vice President of Engineering and Design.

“The benefits of this innovation will extend well beyond Enterprise, as we incorporate our expertise in additive manufacturing into the fundamentals of shipbuilding.”

To date, the shipyard has created more than 55 additively manufactured parts installed on both new construction vessels and those currently in the fleet, with plans to install more than 200 additional parts this year.