Japanese advanced optoelectronics supplier Nikon Corporation has entered a new development agreement with the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), the organization managing America Makes, to support the advancement of metal additive manufacturing (AM) technologies in defense and aerospace. The initiative is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD ManTech), and focuses on Constellium’s Aheadd CP1 Aluminum alloy. The $2.1 million program covers the first two phases of a multi-phase effort and brings together several industry partners, including ASTM International, 3Degrees, and AM experts from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, General Atomics, and Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.
The project aligns with Nikon Advanced Manufacturing’s mission to scale AM technologies for the defense sector. “We are committed to accelerating and scaling metal additive manufacturing for defense and aerospace applications,” said Hamid Zarringhalam, CEO of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing. “Manufacturers recognize AM’s tremendous potential to address gaps in the defense industrial base, particularly through high-performance materials and advanced technologies like Nikon SLM Solutions’ large-format NXG XII 600 series laser powder bed fusion systems.”
Material Characterization and Industry Collaboration
The CP1 Aluminum alloy will be assessed for its suitability in thermal management and heat exchanger components, which are critical in defense and aerospace applications. Nikon Advanced Manufacturing will use its Nikon AM Synergy platform to validate the material through rigorous testing. “This project focuses on basic and intermediate-level property characterization,” explained Dr. Behrang Poorganji, Vice President of Technology at Nikon Advanced Manufacturing. “We will form a collaborative Government Advisory Team with the Joint Additive Manufacturing Working Group (JAMWG) to support program direction-setting, review, and go/no-go decisions, as well as to guide the Material Property Dataset transfer into the Workbench for Additive Materials (WAM) database.”
The materials database will be a key tool for the Department of Defense and commercial aerospace use. The U.S. government will make the data available to approved partners in these sectors. Major defense contractors and OEMs expect strong returns by using the new alloy and processes in place of current options, aligning with Nikon’s goal to drive progress in advanced manufacturing.
Potential for 3D Printing Aluminium
This collaboration reflects a broader trend in aluminum additive manufacturing aimed at improving material performance and system accessibility. Australian 3D printer manufacturer AML3D extended its $280,000 USD ($370,000 AUD) contract with BlueForge Alliance for Nickel-Aluminium-Bronze (NAB) alloy testing, supporting the US Navy’s submarine program. The extension validates AML3D’s ARCEMY 3D printed alloys against Navy standards. Aligned with AML3D’s US expansion strategy amid AUKUS alliance interest, this effort integrates ARCEMY technology into the US military. It also involves the sale of a large-scale ARCEMY 3D printing system, currently housed at Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, valued at approximately $1.0 million AUD.
Aluminium Materials Technologies (AMT) also collaborated with the University of Birmingham to explore the metallurgy of 3D printed aluminum alloy, dubbed A20X. Focusing on laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and direct energy deposition (DED) techniques, the partnership investigated compositional changes, heat treatments, and additive manufacturing process parameters. A20X, known for its isotropic properties, is a high-strength aluminum-copper alloy extensively used in aerospace and motorsports.
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Featured image shows Nikon 3D printer in use. Photo via Nikon.
