U.S. defense weapon system Velo3D has joined the U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) under a Cooperative Research & Development Agreement (CRADA) to accelerate the development and qualification of 3D printed metal components.
The collaboration focuses on providing alternatives to traditional manufacturing to help mitigate supply chain challenges affecting ground combat vehicles and other military systems. Once validated, these additively manufactured parts could be directly integrated into the Army’s supply chain, supporting maintenance modernization and reducing repair delays that impact fleet readiness.
“We are excited for this collaboration between GVSC and Velo3D to identify solutions that will rapidly improve the resilience to the Army’s combat vehicle supply chain. The combination of GVSC’s expertise and long history of advancing vehicle technology for the US. Army, with Velo3D’s proven capabilities as an industry leader in advanced additive manufacturing is sure to deliver the solutions the warfighter needs,” said Mr. Brandon Pender, Associate Director, GVSC Materials Engineering.
Rapid Prototyping and Production Solutions
The CRADA leverages Velo3D’s Rapid Production Solution (RPS) to prototype and qualify complex components faster than conventional subtractive methods. RPS combines the company’s additive systems, process expertise, and surge capacity to enable scalable production of mission-critical parts. The agreement also explores the use of Velo3D qualified alloys with its Sapphire printer family, including applications for large-format components.
“Velo3D is proud to be the first U.S.-based industrial scale OEM with domestically developed Laser Powder-Bed Fusion additive manufacturing technologies to additively manufacture alternatives for the U.S. Army’s ground vehicle supply chains,” said Dr. Arun Jeldi, CEO of Velo3D. “Through our Rapid Production Solution, we are helping provide faster part delivery, enhanced reliability, and the surge capacity needed to meet evolving defense demands.”
The company stressed that all its Sapphire printers are U.S.-assembled and capable of producing parts up to 600mm in diameter and 1 meter in height, offering repeatable, high-fidelity printing across the fleet. The printers feature layer-by-layer in-situ monitoring and meet DoD cybersecurity standards, enabling secure integration with military networks.
Strengthening Defense Readiness Through Additive Manufacturing
Velo3D’s collaboration with the U.S. Army highlights the growing role of domestic AM in enhancing defense supply chain resilience and fleet readiness. Similarly, other U.S. defense manufacturers are leveraging AM to reduce production lead times, mitigate bottlenecks, and decrease reliance on foreign suppliers.
Last year, Beehive Industries, a U.S. producer of propulsion systems for uncrewed defense aircraft, emphasized before Congress how AM, supported by the Defense Production Act (DPA), enables rapid scaling of domestic manufacturing while ensuring secure, high-quality components for national defense. “Additive manufacturing allows us to reduce lead times from years to months, eliminate supply chain bottlenecks, and minimize reliance on foreign components from adversarial nations like China. This technology enhances supply chain integrity, ensures greater control over quality and security, and supports a resilient, self-sufficient industrial base critical for national defense,” said Gordie Follin, Chief Product Officer at Beehive Industries.
Efforts to expand U.S. AM capabilities extend to international collaboration as well. America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) awarded $1.1 million through the Allied Additive Manufacturing Interoperability (AAMI) Program to establish metal 3D printing equivalency and interoperability between U.S. and U.K. defense supply chains. The initiative, funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering’s Manufacturing Technology Office, focuses on laser powder bed fusion of critical components and developing international qualification standards. Selected teams led by Lockheed Martin and Eaton Corporation with their partners will demonstrate standardized AM processes, further strengthening military supply chain resilience and allied readiness.
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Featured image shows Rendering of a Sapphire 3D printer production facility. Image via VELO3D.
