Fort Bliss Garrison cuts ribbon on first additive structures built to comply with DOD construction criteria.
Ask anyone in the additive manufacturing (AM) industry and they’ll agree: defense is currently the killer app for 3D printing. Whether that’s due to international political instabilities, supply chain issues or a simple embracing of new technologies is a matter of opinion, but fact remains that the AM footprint in the defense sector is growing, and not just in the obvious places such as naval or aerospace applications.
The U.S. Army is getting in on the additive action as well with the newly opened 3D printed barracks in Fort Bliss, TX. In fact, these are the first 3D printed structures to comply with the Defense Department’s updated Unified Facilities Criteria, which provides construction guidance for DOD projects. ICON, the Texas-based additive construction firm that spearheaded the project, has stated that each of the three new buildings encompasses 5,700 square feet, which made them the largest planned 3D printed structures in the Western Hemisphere when construction began last year.
The project was completed with assistance from the Fort Bliss Garrison Directorate of Public Works and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. According to a statement from the Army, these facilities will initially house troops deploying to Fort Bliss in support of the installation’s Mobilization Force Generation Installation mission. The Army has also stated that each building can accommodate 56 soldiers.
The barracks were built with ICON’s Vulcan, a five-ton, gantry-style 3D printer that’s nearly 16 feet tall and 47 feet wide. The machine uses a proprietary concrete-based material called Lavacrete, which ICON claims can be tailored to local environmental conditions, such as humidity and temperature, to ensure optimal performance.
“The great senator Robert Francis Kennedy once said, ‘Do not look at things and wonder why, dream new ideas and say ‘why not?’” quoted Lt. Gen. David Wilson, deputy Army chief of staff, G-9 (Installations) at the official ribbon cutting. “We’re here today because many people dreamed of new ideas and said ‘why not,’ and that’s why we’re delivering this state-of-the-art facility to the Army today.
“Fort Bliss is not only a military installation; it’s a cornerstone of our nation’s defense and a symbol of resilience, strength, and enduring commitment to our nation—a place of growth and transformation,” Wilson added. “This post has evolved with the times, embracing new technologies, new strategies, and new ways of serving our country,” he said. “So, it’s fitting that we gather here today to open new barracks that embody the same spirit of evolution and progress.”
