Re-Engineering B-1 Bomber Landing Gear Lubrication Pins

In the world of military aviation, every component counts. Take, for instance, the B-1 bomber's landing gear systems, where plastic pins play a crucial role in ensuring smooth lubrication. Traditionally made from a plastic called Delrin, these pins are integral to the aircraft's functioning. However, acquiring them through the Defense Logistics Agency system posed a significant challenge due to their high costs–ranging from $300 to $3,000–each in addition to taking a long time to acquire.

In response to this challenge, Elevate Systems, with funding from the Air Force Innovation Center, AFWERX, has taken an innovative approach. The team has set its sights on converting 22 National Stock Numbers (NSNs) from traditional 2D flat files to 3D STL files that can be used with additive manufacturing technology. This creative shift in production is expected to bring about a significant cost reduction of 50 to 70 percent.

In an exciting development, Elevate Systems is qualifying the RAPID Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, as a new source of supply under a public-private partnership agreement. This partnership's implication is profound - it means that the Air Force Base could soon have the capability to print these assets on demand.

Such a setup will drastically reduce the cost of each pin, potentially ranging from the low hundreds to the low thousands. The savings realized through this project could be considerable, helping to allocate funds to other crucial areas of defense. This will also allow the Air Force to “print on demand” and have assets in hands in days instead of weeks or months.

Moreover, the project also involves providing the Air Force with unlimited and unrestricted rights to the 3D files and data. Such a move will not only empower the Air Force with more self-sufficiency but also foster a collaborative ecosystem where innovative ideas and technology thrive.

The project at Hill Air Force Base showcases how innovation can bring about profound changes in cost efficiency and logistics. It serves as a testament to the power of inventive thinking and the prudent application of technology, illustrating how these elements can revolutionize defense logistics and bring about substantial cost savings