3D printing power: WildBees revolutionizes aid to Ukraine
The full-scale war in Ukraine is entering its fourth year, and it’s noteworthy that many units still largely rely on volunteer groups using the latest 3D printing technology. One such group is WildBees, which has delivered over three million various military items to Ukrainian soldiers. We present a behind-the-scenes look at their work and some of their products.
Volunteer groups supporting Ukrainian fighters are not a new phenomenon. The oldest was formed during the conflicts with Russian "little green men" in early 2014-2015. These groups provided what the Ukrainian army could not supply for various reasons.
Widespread assistance began after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. One person who joined this volunteer movement is Eman, who coordinates aid for the Polish group WildBees. WildBees regularly organizes fundraisers for equipment for Ukrainian soldiers.
In a conversation with WP Tech, he notes that, from his perspective, the enthusiasm for helping ended already in 2022, and the needs have not decreased. In three years of operation, the WildBees group delivered over three million components and several hundred 3D printers to Ukraine.
3D printers are a huge support for Ukraine
3D printers have become the first choice for hobbyists because they allow for the quick and cheap creation of almost any needed element. Companies also readily use these printers to create prototypes. The most popular printers are for creating polymer parts, but solutions for printing metal components have also appeared in recent years.
Meanwhile, in military applications, 3D printers are closely examined by entities like the US Army. 3D printing is also used by rebel groups in Myanmar (Burma), who rely on the FGC-9 weapon project, among others. Unsurprisingly, 3D printing is also used to support Ukrainian soldiers.
The WildBees group produces a multitude of different components, and interesting projects appear daily, as Eman admitted. Thousands of different models have passed through our printers. I’ve seen printed components for FGM-148 Javelin and HMMWV."
In war, flight stabilizers are most commonly seen. When added to regular grenades or to calibres 30/40 mm, they ensure that a grenade dropped from a drone has an improved flight trajectory, positively affecting accuracy. Another group is polymer shells, which, after adding shrapnel and explosive material with a fuse, serve as replacements for mortar rounds often previously used as bombs for drones.
However, this is only a small part of the military equipment portfolio produced for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The larger part is classified.
The aid from WildBees goes beyond just stabilizers and shells for grenades
However, this is not the end, as the WildBees group also produces many non-kinetic accessories. The first were trench periscopes, which had proven themselves during World War I. They allow for observing the situation and adjusting fire from a grenade launcher (or mortar) without the soldier having to expose themselves from cover, which, in the age of snipers with thermal vision and artillery fire, is extremely valuable. WildBees has sent tens of thousands to Ukraine and has numerous testimonials that they have saved the lives of many soldiers.
Another highly valued "gadget" is magazine loaders, which quickly load loose rounds held in pockets, cartons, or boxes in a trench. Considering the intensity of Russian assaults, the standard issue of four or eight magazines for a rifle runs out quickly.
Loading them under stress by a fatigued soldier is more complex than it seems, and such a loader is a huge help. Especially when it’s necessary to do so with gloves in freezing temperatures. Moreover, loading, for instance, 10 magazines in a row causes finger pain for soldiers.
As "Eman" recalls, "the original design was 'borrowed' from a Russian group on Telegram, and colleagues from WildBees USA redesigned it and sent it to the front. Within a week, we received the response: 'We need them!'. Since then (December 2023), we have sent tens of thousands of loaders, and the models have been improved based on feedback sent from the front by soldiers."
The third category is equipment for demining, marking mines, or models used in schools or sapper courses in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In the latter category, the WildBees Sweden group, supported by the Safe Pro AI/Demining Research Community, is particularly active. "Eman" also mentioned a new project, "Mine Markers," aimed at developing and producing equipment for marking mines, with the first batch of prototypes already sent to the AFU. Mines are common in Ukraine, and disarming them is an extremely dangerous task where any tools minimizing the risk of explosion are extremely valuable.
Additionally, WildBees produces, based on 3D printing, readily available and inexpensive components for pocket drone detector housings, as well as release mechanisms for them.
I also asked Eman what he would like to say to those doubting the sense or criticizing the aid to Ukraine based on his personal experience.
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