Photo By Peter Clute | A prototype of a 3D-printed gyro case, made from polylactic acid at the Keyport...... read more read more
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Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport Mechanical Engineer Bryant Veach is driving innovation and cost savings by leveraging 3D printing, laser engraving and laser cutting capabilities at the command’s Keyport Innovation Center to create custom tools and components.
“Through the use of these different parts, we can account for significant savings,” said Veach. “But it's not just about the money; the work we're doing here is rapidly producing tools for technicians, ultimately saving the [command] time and resources. The team and I are constantly finding new ways to do things. It’s contagious and I love it!”
The KIC is a collaborative space where NUWC Division, Keyport employees can partner, share knowledge, and foster a culture of innovation and professional growth. It offers a range of resources, from additive manufacturing tools to advanced modeling software to electronics workspaces. It also has a full suite of high frequency, very high frequency and ultra-high frequency radio equipment for those pursuing amateur radio licenses or looking to support the command's Wartime Readiness Resilient Communications efforts.
With the KIC's tools, employees can test and refine their designs and processes before moving toward final approval and production—reducing risk, saving time and cutting costs.
One such project, led by Veach, involves polyimide sheets. These durable, heat-resistant plastic films are commonly used as electrical insulators in electronic and aerospace systems, playing a critical role in protecting sensitive electronics.
Technicians used to spend approximately 30 minutes cutting them by hand using stencils and scissors. This old method cost a substantial amount in labor, according to Veach.
Using Computer-Aided Design software and a laser cutter, Veach developed a more efficient process that reduced cutting time to 30 seconds per sheet while ensuring the finished product consistently met required specifications.
Veach also developed a process to significantly reduce the cost and lead time for washers used to retain lubricant within bearings in torpedoes. Previously, these components were expensive and took six months to procure. Using a laser cutter, Veach devised a method to rapidly produce hundreds of washers from polyether ether ketone at less than 100th of the original price.
By ensuring the continued availability of torpedoes, this innovation supports the Navy's goal of keeping its capabilities fully operational and directly aligns to the Naval Sea Systems Command Enterprise Strategy Lines of Effort.
Veach has also leveraged the KIC’s 3D printing capabilities to rapidly iterate designs aimed at addressing critical supply chain issues and improving the command's operational efficiency.
When his team faced a shortage of gyro cases—the aluminum housing that protects gyroscopes during shipping—and an exorbitant vendor quote for 40 units, Veach began looking for a viable 3D-printed alternative. He is currently working with the Keyport additive manufacturing team to test materials and designs—such as a copper-nickel-coated nylon design—for use in this alternative.
"We're aiming to create a cost-effective and readily available solution to this critical supply chain issue," said Veach. “We’re also battling obsolescence by using these tools to recreate small, non-critical parts. Why not attempt recreating needed parts with newer methods of manufacturing and alternative materials? By doing so, we’re directly leveraging Keyport’s technical expertise to ensure ships and systems are engineered effectively, and that they operate safely and reliably.”
The KIC’s rapid prototyping tools also helped Veach’s team recover a costly specialized fixture that had been unusable even after a significant investment in repairs. Veach restored it to working condition using parts 3D printed at the KIC for a fraction of the original repair cost.
Veach emphasized that these projects are the result of teamwork and collaboration.
“These projects don’t arrive out of thin air, and I can’t take all the credit for these advancements,” said Veach. “My most valuable players are the technicians and engineers who communicate the needs. Almost every week, my fellow engineers and technicians come up with new requests and ideas for fixturing, tools and ‘what if’ questions.
“Then, I get to work creating prototypes or trying something to solve the issue with the tools at the KIC. We share the news of the victories, big and small. Now, it seems like everyone in the workspace sees their work differently. They come up with new ideas or ask if something about their work can be innovated. Honestly, it’s the best part of my job.”
According to Jacob Snow, director of the KIC, these projects exemplify the center’s mission to provide employees with experiential learning opportunities while also creating tangible benefits for departments and the larger command.
“These projects really embody what the KIC is here for,” Snow said. “Many of the technologies involved were new to our engineers, so I worked alongside them to help build their skills. They've continued developing those abilities and have been highly successful in creating innovative solutions that save both time and money for the fleet and the command.”
Veach looks forward to continuing to leverage the KIC’s resources to develop cost-saving solutions for the Navy.
"It may seem like small savings at a time, but it’s the aggregate savings that blow my mind," said Veach. "We could not accomplish these objectives without this workspace and new tools at our disposal. We’re creating an innovative ‘what if’ culture and it’s driving us to new levels of success."
Check out this YouTube video for a more in-depth look at these and other innovations Veach has created at the KIC.
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Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport is headquartered in the state of Washington on the Puget Sound, about 10 miles west of Seattle. To provide ready support to Fleet operational forces at all major Navy homeports in the Pacific, NUWC Division, Keyport maintains detachments in San Diego, California and Honolulu, Hawaii, and remote operating sites in Guam; Japan; Hawthorne, Nevada; and Portsmouth, Virginia. At NUWC Division, Keyport, our diverse and highly skilled team of engineers, scientists, technicians, administrative professionals and industrial craftsmen work tirelessly to develop, maintain and sustain undersea warfare superiority for the United States.
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2025 11:32 |
| Story ID: | 546253 |
| Location: | KEYPORT, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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