Certified metal additive manufacturing company Hypermetal has expanded its production capacity through the acquisition of a Nikon SLM NXG XII 600 system. Based in Portugal, Hypermetal operates under EN9100 and ISO 9001 quality standards and supplies high-performance components to aerospace and defense programs. The new installation increases its ability to manufacture flight-critical metal parts at scale and reinforces its role as a qualified European service provider in certified additive manufacturing.
The NXG XII 600 system removes previous production limitations in build volume and throughput, allowing Hypermetal to produce larger parts faster and with higher process stability. Nikon SLM Solutions, a German manufacturer of industrial metal 3D printing systems, developed the platform around twelve lasers and a 600 × 600 × 600 mm build chamber to support serial production of complex geometries. Integration of this equipment strengthens Hypermetal’s control and qualification capabilities, an essential requirement for customers operating under stringent aerospace and defense specifications.
Hypermetal’s investment forms part of an approved project under Portugal 2030 – Productive Innovation, a national funding program that supports industrial adoption of advanced technologies. The company’s proposal was selected for its relevance to the aerospace and space sectors, aligning with Portugal’s broader technological-sovereignty goals. In a formal letter of endorsement, the Portuguese Space Agency (PT Space) recognized Hypermetal’s contribution to national and European efforts to secure independent access to space. PT Space highlighted the project’s importance for expanding domestic capabilities in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) for propulsion systems and other mission-critical applications.
“This investment marks an important step in Hypermetal’s growth,” said Afonso Nogueira, Founder and CEO of Hypermetal. “By adding the Nikon SLM NXG system to our production capabilities, we are strengthening our ability to support demanding aerospace and defense programs with certified, high-quality additive manufacturing. It also allows our customers to access state-of-the-art technology on demand — whether to expand their own production capacity or to accelerate new developments. We see this as a strategic move toward deeper integration in the European advanced-manufacturing supply chain.”
Nogueira added that the platform will be used to produce propulsion components, lightweight structures, and thermal-management systems in materials such as Inconel. “Nikon SLM Solutions offers unmatched reliability and productivity for large-scale additive manufacturing,” he said. “The NXG platform’s precision, scalability, and proven performance for aerospace components align perfectly with Hypermetal’s quality-assurance requirements under EN9100 and ISO 9001.”
Sam O’Leary, CEO of Nikon SLM Solutions, stated, “Hypermetal represents exactly the type of forward-looking partner driving the European AM ecosystem forward. Their investment in the NXG XII 600 underscores how industrial-scale metal AM is evolving from experimental technology to a trusted production tool for critical aerospace and defense applications. Together, we’re enabling a more resilient and capable European manufacturing supply chain.”
The NXG XII 600 will be applied to both functional components and demonstrators across aerospace, space, and defense projects. Its capacity for large parts and high-density builds supports complex geometries and lightweight designs required in propulsion assemblies and structural hardware. Hypermetal’s expanded facilities position it as a qualified subcontracting partner for large-format metal additive-manufacturing projects, increasing certified capacity within Europe’s aerospace supply chain and reducing dependence on external manufacturing sources.
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Featured photo shows expanding certified metal additive manufacturing capacity in Portugal. Photo via Nikon SLM Solutions.
