Remote 3D Printed Electronics Repair Tested at Valiant Shield 2026

The US Army's DEVCOM Armaments Center ran a notable test at the recent Valiant Shield exercise in the Indo-Pacific. The team demonstrated remote 3D printing of electronics to repair drone parts across multiple locations.

At the exercise, which ran from late June through early July, one engineer worked from Schofield Barracks in Oahu. Three more operated from Camp Kinser on Okinawa. A fifth team member stayed back at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, providing support from across the Pacific.

The group used silver-ink printing to fix broken drone components. They also used 3D scanners to reverse-engineer damaged parts and print replacements. The process worked, but it wasn't easy. Hawaii's salt air and humidity complicated the silver-ink work. Printers damaged in transit needed field repairs before the team could start.

The Marines involved had to learn the printing process from scratch. Once they did, they tested custom flexible antennas. The exercise even produced a direct request: the Marines want the Armaments Center to develop an automated diagnosis and printing system for broken electronics.

The Armaments Center plans to continue this work with NextFlex, a Manufacturing USA institute focused on hybrid electronics. nScrypt, the company behind the electronics printing process, is already a NextFlex member.

The drone 3D printing market could approach one billion dollars by 2034, according to AM Research. Much of that growth depends on military adoption. The DEVCOM test shows the military is taking that step seriously.