Camp Lejeune, North Carolina -- MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA—A U.S. Marine was awarded $1,000 and a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for an Environmental Control Unit duct cover at MakerSpace on Oct. 16, 2019.
Staff Sgt. Elissa Pedelty is a utilities Marine with Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 2nd Marine Logistics Group. Utilizing additive manufacturing, she invented a duct cover which attaches to the Environmental Control Units intake vents to prevent loose gear from getting sucked into the vent and motor.
When units travel to the field, they require power generation, distribution equipment and ECUs. In order for an ECU to function properly, it requires clear pathways via ducts. Loose gear nearby can be sucked into the vent and motor, possibly burning out the motor and affecting mission readiness.
“I noticed a trend that negatively affects the utilities community throughout the MLG,” said Pedelty. “We went through a few ideas from a wagon wheel to a windmill shape, but the honeycomb design worked the best for the vents.”
MakerSpace facilitates the challenge, where Marines and Sailors submit innovative ideas for consideration. The ideas presented can be material, procedural, or conceptual in nature. Once submitted, they are considered by a board who nominates the most impactful and innovative idea.
“Marines may often feel that they are unable to make solutions to problems they see around them a reality,” said 1stLt. Walls, the innovation officer for the unit. “Makerspace bridges that gap and allows them to break the bureaucracy and enact those solutions, and provides them the tools to do so.”
Other projects currently in development at MakerSpace are flight boards used by parachutists during the jump and scale tank models for weapons system sighting practice and vehicle identification.
“With tremendously talented Marines and Sailors, the 2nd MLG team sustains II Marine Expeditionary Force with logistics and material readiness support,” said Brig Gen. Kevin Stewart, Commanding General of 2nd MLG. “The intent is to provide our Marines and Sailors the opportunities, tools, and education to make us better.”
MakerSpace is located at building FC 520 in French Creek. Ideas can be submitted to 2DMLG_Makerspace@usmc.mil. For questions, call (910) 451-9296.