Manufacturing Wearable Technology for the Military
Manufacturing Wearable Technology for the Military
This SLS 3D printing case study project was both high-stakes and international.
Bionic Power, Inc., a Vancouver-based innovators group, reached out to Northwest Rapid Manufacturing to tackle a serious engineering challenge: developing field-ready wearable tech designed to charge batteries on the go for the U.S. Army and Marines. While technically a prototype, this unit needed to function flawlessly under actual military conditions.
The Bottleneck: High-Spec Engineering Meets Complex Material Needs
Building a rugged, lightweight device capable of surviving military field tests isn't something you pull off with off-the-shelf plastic. The design called for custom Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printing using specialized materials. We produced the primary lightweight structural 3D printed components using PA 640-GSL carbon fiber nylon—a stiff, composite nylon 12 loaded with carbon fiber and hollow glass spheres for maximum strength-to-weight ratio. For supplemental parts requiring higher impact resistance and flexibility, we opted for PA 850 black nylon 11 powder.
The Solution: Tapping Our Expert Network for Precision SLS Rapid Prototyping
Even a fully equipped defense additive manufacturing facility knows when to call in specialized allies. To hit every exact spec on schedule, we tapped our trusted partner network. We teamed up with industry leaders Stratasys and 3D Systems to assist with specific rapid prototyping stages, while Hydro Graphics, Inc. handled the custom durable decals. By coordinating these moving parts, we delivered a fully assembled, field-ready wearable power system without missing a beat.
The Results: Mission Accomplished with Fast Lead Times and Field-Tested Durability
The final build exceeded expectations for both Bionic Power and the military end-users, performing reliably in demanding conditions. Bionic Power chose Northwest Rapid Manufacturing for our hands-on technical guidance, rapid turnaround times, and fair pricing. As their team put it, “Working with NW Rapid has been truly great from the get-go. From helping with material selection to working with us to enable faster lead times, their communication with us is awesome!”
See this field-ready wearable technology in action in this video demonstration from Bionic Power. All pictures courtesy of Bionic Power, Inc., | Bionic Power PowerWalk
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