# The History of Additive Manufacturing in the U.S. Army with L.J. Holmes

- Show: [Additive Snack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack)
- Published: 2024-03-19
- Length: 49m
- Episode: 8
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2024-03-19-the-history-of-additive-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-army-with-l-j-holmes
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/b66a31eb

## Summary

L.J. Holmes, Executive Director of Advanced Manufacturing Research and Engineering at Harrisburg University, details his transition from the Army Research Lab to academia and his work on the U.S. Army’s 30-year additive manufacturing roadmap. He discusses early, undocumented use cases of additive repair in military vehicles and current DoD applications, including the Jointless Hull project and printed functional devices from Cyperio and Santech. Holmes also highlights the development of the world’s largest hybrid additive system, a 50-foot-tall friction stir machine built by Ingersoll and Meld, designed to eliminate welds in vehicle hulls.

## Chapters

- [0:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2024-03-19-the-history-of-additive-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-army-with-l-j-holmes#t=3) Introduction: L.J. Holmes and Additive Manufacturing in Defense
- [1:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2024-03-19-the-history-of-additive-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-army-with-l-j-holmes#t=110) L.J. Holmes' Career: From Army Research Lab to Harrisburg University
- [1:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2024-03-19-the-history-of-additive-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-army-with-l-j-holmes#t=110) Authoring the Army's 30-Year Additive Manufacturing Roadmap
- [15:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2024-03-19-the-history-of-additive-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-army-with-l-j-holmes#t=942) Harrisburg University's Hands-On Advanced Manufacturing Curriculum
- [26:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2024-03-19-the-history-of-additive-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-army-with-l-j-holmes#t=1595) Undocumented Early Use Cases: Additive Repair in Military Vehicles
- [29:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2024-03-19-the-history-of-additive-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-army-with-l-j-holmes#t=1777) Current DoD Applications: Printed Functional Devices and Sensors
- [41:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2024-03-19-the-history-of-additive-manufacturing-in-the-u-s-army-with-l-j-holmes#t=2475) The Jointless Hull Project and the World's Largest Hybrid Machine

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (company)
- Army Research Lab (company)
- DARPA (company)
- Devcom (company)
- Ingersoll (company)
- Meld (company)
- Siemens Digital Industries (company)
- Cyperio (company)
- Santech (company)
- Jointless Hull (product)
- AM Forward (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Star Trek Replicators? How Additive Manufacturing is Changing the Industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2021-09-14-star-trek-replicators-how-additive-manufacturing-is-changing-the-industry) (Over the Air)
- [21. AI Rescues Firefighters, NASA Prints Spacecraft Parts, Plug & Play Prosthetics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2021-06-08-21-ai-rescues-firefighters-nasa-prints-spacecraft-parts-plug-play-prosthetics) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Hybrid Manufacturing: Why Additive vs. Subtractive Is the Wrong Debate, Ep #34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-02-13-hybrid-manufacturing-why-additive-vs-subtractive-is-the-wrong-debate-ep-34) (Lights Out)
- [S6E11 Jon Lowy | Sleeping 3 Hours Per Day & Additive Manufacturing X.0](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2025-03-14-s6e11-jon-lowy-sleeping-3-hours-per-day-additive-manufacturing-x-0) (Being an Engineer)
- [The Digital Warehouse: A Look Inside Additive Manufacturing w/ Melanie Lang](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-03-01-the-digital-warehouse-a-look-inside-additive-manufacturing-w-melanie-lang) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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