U.S. Navy's Captain Deichler on AM in the Submarine Industrial Base

Additive Snack · 6 Oct 2026 · 1h 02m · Episode 43

What this episode covers

Captain Jason Deichler, Chief of Staff for Submarine Programs at the U.S. Navy, explains the Navy's strategy to achieve a 'one plus two' production goal (one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines annually) by rebuilding a strained industrial base through additive manufacturing (AM). He details how AM addresses workforce shortages, supplier attrition, and lost casting/forging capabilities, moving from qualifying individual parts to establishing qualified material and process standards via Project Peculiar Documents (PPDs). The conversation covers the transition from skepticism to adoption, the scaling of qualified parts from 25 to 75, and the future vision of tens of thousands of additive parts integrated into submarine sustainment and new construction.

Mentioned

Companies
U.S. Navy, NAVCO5, ATDM Center of Excellence, Naval Postgraduate School, Boston Dynamics, Huntington Ingles, General Electric
Products
Columbia-class, Virginia-class, USS North Dakota, USS Pittsburgh, USS Cheyenne, USS Virginia, Hilo hanger door hinge
Also
Project Peculiar Document

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