RICHMOND, Ky. — The Blue Grass Army Depot has completed its 13-year confidence clip project, a program that began in 2012 to improve safety and efficiency for Soldiers using G878 fuzes.
“This project started with a simple problem in the field and grew into a model of innovation,” said Col. Sam Morgan III, BGAD’s commander. “Our mission was always to make sure Soldiers could trust their equipment, and we delivered on that promise.”
The initiative began after Soldiers reported that pins were coming loose too easily, forcing them to wrap tape around grenades which used the G878 fuzes. In some instances, the tape created dangerous situations for personnel, and there were incidents where several individuals lost fingers trying to remove it.
Engineers at BGAD developed the confidence clip, which requires a set amount of force to remove. The clip added a critical safety element that protects Soldiers from injury.
BGAD began installing confidence clips in December 2012, initially producing about 1,300 per shift with hand-operated machines.
Automation transformed the process. In 2013, BGAD installed two production cells, later modified with vibration-driven loaders and other upgrades. Output rose to 6,000 clips per shift. Additional improvements included new heat sealers, a vision system to verify fuzes before packaging, and the use of 3D printing to produce parts at a fraction of the cost.
“Our team never stopped looking for ways to improve,” Morgan said. “Every upgrade meant more efficiency, more reliability, and ultimately more confidence for the warfighter.”
Quality checks were a cornerstone of the project. Daily torque and pull force tests, statistical process control reviews, and master fail programs ensured reliability. Over the course of the program, BGAD installed approximately 9.1 million confidence clips, reducing costs by 74% compared with new manufacture and generating millions in revenue.
“The confidence clip project was about more than production numbers,” Morgan said. “It was about giving Soldiers peace of mind that their equipment would perform safely and as intended.”
The final confidence clip was installed Sept. 24, 2025, closing a chapter that employed eight demil and maintenance personnel daily and consistently met production deadlines.
“Our team showed what can be accomplished when innovation meets dedication,” Morgan said. “From hand-operated machines to fully automated cells, we never stopped improving here.
“This was a proud moment for the depot,” Morgan added. “We’re ready to take the lessons learned here and apply them to whatever comes next.”
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