Future Marine Corps trucks could fix themselves with 3D printing & smart diagnostics

Lt. Gen. Michael Dana, the Marine Corps’ deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics (I&L), says the next generation of Marine Corps trucks could use smart diagnostics to identify worn-out parts and automatically place orders for 3D printed replacements.

Smart systems are about more than turning off your household lights with a smartphone. According to top staff in the Marine Corps, the next generation of 7-ton trucks could use a highly connected infrastructure to diagnose and automatically replace worn-out parts with 3D printed replacements.

Lt. Gen. Michael Dana, the Marine Corps’ deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics (I&L), says the process for installing such systems is already underway,

Last year, Marines at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri took 20-odd military vehicles, including 7-ton Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacements (MTVRs) and Logistics Vehicle System Replacements (LVSRs), and equipped them with special engine sensors that could diagnose the imminent failure of key components.

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