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The U.S. Navy, General Dynamics Electric Boat, and Lincoln Electric have announced a joint investment to expand the use of 3D printing for nuclear-powered submarines production.
Part of the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program, the Navy plans to build one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines each year by 2028, alongside maintaining its current fleet. To support that goal, the partners are adopting additive manufacturing to boost output and reduce slowdowns linked to limited materials and supply chain issues.
Mr. Matt Sermon, Executive Director of the Maritime Industrial Base Program, noted, “The MIB Program is charged with strengthening and expanding the shipbuilding and repair capacity our nation needs for deterrence and warfighting. By investing in additive manufacturing at scale, we are helping ensure our industrial base has the tools, technologies, and resilience required to meet the Navy’s mission.”
Expanding submarine production capacity
Created in 2024, the MIB Program is overseeing a series of initiatives aimed at expanding and modernizing the nation’s shipbuilding and repair capacity, which supports the Navy’s surface fleet, carriers, and submarines.
Through the program’s funding, General Dynamics Electric Boat will source components from Lincoln Electric’s new large-scale metal AM facility in Cleveland. The facility houses four SculptPrint 1500 robotic wire-arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) systems, marking Lincoln Electric’s largest government-funded investment in this technology yet.
The SculptPrint 1500 systems combine robotic precision with wire-arc deposition to produce large, near-net-shape metal components. Each system integrates an ABB 6-axis robot, a dual-axis servo positioner, and Lincoln Electric’s Power Wave welding package, supported by real-time process monitoring and automated layer-height control.
With a build envelope of approximately 207 × 188 × 173 in. (526 × 478 × 440 cm), the systems are designed for industrial-scale metal production with high accuracy and repeatability. The process is managed through Lincoln Electric’s SculptPrint OS software, which converts CAD models into optimized toolpaths for automated deposition.
Compatible with materials including steel, stainless steel, nickel, and Cu-Ni (70/30) alloys, the platform enables efficient fabrication of large, complex parts with minimal waste and shorter lead times. These capabilities are particularly relevant to shipbuilding and other heavy industrial applications.
Integrating AM for submarine fleet readiness
In submarine manufacturing, 3D printing now plays a crucial role by enabling the creation of parts that traditional production techniques are unable to achieve.
Thus, the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Submarine Delivery Agency is integrating the technology into both new construction and maintenance of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine fleet. At TCT 3Sixty 2025, officials confirmed that 3D printing is being used to produce components for the next-generation Dreadnought-class submarines, with some parts also retrofitted into existing Astute-class vessels.
According to the MoD’s Advanced Manufacturing Strategy, the technology also supports in-service submarine (ISS) and future SSN(A) programs. With 3D printing, the UK aims to accelerate production, reduce lead times, and strengthen supply chain resilience across its submarine operations.
Further north, Dalhousie University and Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) are developing AM methods to produce replacement parts for Canada’s aging Victoria-class submarines. The project focuses on adapting Directed Energy Deposition (DED) to fabricate components from naval alloys not originally designed for AM, requiring new process parameters and alloy behavior studies.
Dalhousie’s team will convert these alloys into powder in controlled environments before printing and testing them for mechanical and metallurgical performance. Supported by $7 million funding, the project is said to use in-house powder production and laser-based DED systems to establish validated, industry-ready manufacturing standards for defense applications.
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Featured image shows (from L-R) Mr. Mike Whitehead, Lincoln Electric’s President of Americas Welding, Ms. Larissa Smith, Director, Advanced Manufacturing, DRPM, Maritime Industrial Base Program, U.S. Navy, and Mr. Ken Jeanos, VP, Materials and Supply Chain, General Dynamics Electric Boat. Photo via Lincoln Electric.
