USS Lade Erie Receives 3D Printed Fuse Covers

Southwest Regional Maintenance Center delivered 22 sets of 3D printed fuse box covers to guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie. The deliveries, that include installation brackets and bolts, is the first shipment of parts made via SWRMC’s additive manufacturing process, the U.S. Navy said Friday.

The center’s 3D printing team manufactured the covers to protect fuses and respective holders from accidents. The team developed guidelines to help sailors install the covers without the center’s supervision. The creation of the cover stems from Petty Officer 2nd Class Joe Smith’s observation that fuses are vulnerable to accidental damage due to the fuse box’s location. 

“SWRMC’s ability to deliver orders of 3D printed parts to ships is a high value-added capability to the support we provide to ships in availabilities,” said Capt. David Hart, commanding officer at SWRMC.