Providing Rational for Further Funding Additive Manufacturing Efforts in the Air Force

Extremely long lead times for legacy aircraft replacement parts often exceed 120 days and cost 3 to 4 times the original price drives a search for alternative manufacturing methods such as additive manufacturing. Currently, the method to procuring a legacy replacement for aircraft such as the C-130 is daunting and at times, impossible. Through a comprehensive knowledge collection of organizational data the Air Force body of knowledge increases and provides actionable data to decision makers which has the potential of dramatically decreasing part wait times and procurement. The proposed, intuitive decision analysis framework mapped out in this research provides relevant direction for potential candidates considering additive manufacturing alternatives within their organizations. As result of this study, interested parties now have an abridged guide to costs, expenses, and challenges of setting up an Additive Manufacturing facility within their establishments