text: 3D PRINTING TO FILL SUPPLY GAPS: Additive manufacturing processes are being used to fill certain gaps in supply chain vulnerabilities for public and private sectors. The Department of Defense (DOD) has been looking at use cases for additive manufacturing tools, such as 3D printing, for items in short supply that are critical for continued operation. The DOD is dependent on the same supply chain as the public, and shortages on a few critical high fail items can significantly impact readiness. (AC: Additive Manufacturing is an effective method for prototyping a new design or recreating existing items. The process can be difficult to scale for large-part production, as specialized tooling is often required. Additionally, intellectual property (IP) rights add hurdles for companies and government agencies that do not own it, unlike industries in China where IP theft of foreign property is allowed. Those not limited by these restrictions could use these methods to mitigate vulnerabilities found in supply chain disruptions