The Pentagon has signed a contract for 3D printing explosives – what makes this technology unique?

The American corporation Supernova Industries has signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense for 3D printing explosives used in munitions and solid rocket propellants. This was reported by Defense Express.

The funding has been allocated under the Critical Chemicals Pilot Program of the American Center for Manufacturing and Innovation (ACMI) due to a multi-purpose Pentagon contract.

“Supernova Industries' innovation lies in the fact that Americans have developed a method to print mixtures through lamination and the addition of their own additives, which cause them to cure under light. This technology is called Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) and allows for the printing of materials with unlimited viscosity. As a bonus, it can create virtually any complexity of shapes,” experts note.

The company is already working with APCP mixtures – a solid rocket propellant based on ammonium perchlorate, as well as with RDX explosives – hexogen. They are also developing their own energy formulas.

This means that now, with the help of 3D printing, the military aims to address the challenge of the relatively narrow bottleneck in ammunition production – combat supplies.

“Traditionally, this process occurs by pressing or pouring explosives into a casing. Considering that the ammunition casing can also be printed on a 3D printer, everything becomes much more interesting,” analysts suggest.