Snowbird SAMM Tech Brings Mobile Metal 3D Printing to RIMPAC 2026

Metal 3D Printing Goes to Sea

The U.S. military tested a new approach to expeditionary manufacturing during this year's RIMPAC exercise. Snowbird Technologies deployed its SAMM Tech platform aboard USS Essex and later at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. The system printed metal components on demand using Meltio laser-wire directed energy deposition technology.

This matters because traditional supply chains break down fast in the Pacific. A ship at sea or a forward operating base cannot wait weeks for a spare part to arrive by cargo plane. SAMM Tech sits inside a ruggedized container. It combines metal 3D printing, polymer printing, and CNC machining in one package. During the exercise, it responded to digital part requests from RIMPAC participant organizations.

From Ship to Shore

The platform transitioned directly from shipboard operations aboard USS Essex to field operations at Schofield Barracks. Advanced manufacturing operations concluded on July 17, 2026. Participating organizations then assessed system performance and operational integration.

Karl Wojtkun, Vice President of Business Development at Snowbird Technologies, said the move demonstrates the flexibility of distributed manufacturing. He noted the ability to respond to digital part requests across the exercise network represents progress toward delivering manufacturing capability directly to the tactical edge.

Why This Is Different

Previous military 3D printing efforts focused on polymer parts or small repair jobs. SAMM Tech adds metal directed energy deposition inside a container that can be moved by truck, ship, or aircraft. Meltio's wire-laser process uses standard metal wire feedstock rather than expensive powders. That reduces logistics burden and improves safety in field conditions.

The Naval Postgraduate School's CAMRE distributed manufacturing experiment used SAMM Tech throughout RIMPAC 2026. The exercise is the world's largest international maritime drill. It ran from late June into early August around the Hawaiian Islands.