Australian metal additive manufacturing company AML3D Limited has secured an approximately AU$9.9 million order from Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), one of America's largest military shipbuilders, for four ARCEMY X large-scale metal 3D printing systems. This contract highlights the growing role of wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) in defense and maritime applications.
What is Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM)?
WAAM is an additive manufacturing process that uses a welding torch--typically MIG or TIG--to deposit metal wire layer by layer, building parts from the ground up. Unlike powder-based metal 3D printing methods such as SLM or DMLS, WAAM offers significant advantages for large-scale components:
- Higher deposition rates (5-15 kg/hour)
- Larger build volumes without size constraints
- Lower equipment and material costs
- Compatible with a wide range of metals including steel, aluminum, and titanium
- No requirement for expensive metal powders
Why the U.S. Navy is Investing in WAAM
For naval shipbuilding, WAAM technology addresses several critical needs:
Supply chain resilience: On-demand production of replacement parts reduces dependency on long supply chains, particularly important for naval vessels operating far from home ports.
Lead time reduction: Custom metal components can be produced in days rather than weeks or months, minimizing vessel downtime for repairs and maintenance.
Cost efficiency: WAAM eliminates the need for expensive tooling and patterns, making low-volume production economically viable.
Design flexibility: The technology enables optimization of part designs for specific applications, potentially improving performance and reducing weight.
DEEP Manufacturing Expands U.S. Presence
This trend is further evidenced by DEEP Manufacturing's expansion into Houston, Texas with a new 50,000 square foot WAAM facility. This investment in domestic additive manufacturing capacity supports the growing demand from defense and energy sectors for large-scale metal fabricated components.
Applications Beyond Shipbuilding
While naval applications are prominent, WAAM serves numerous defense and industrial applications:
- Aerospace: Structural components, brackets, and housings
- Oil and gas: Process equipment and piping manifolds
- Power generation: Turbine components and heat exchangers
- Industrial tooling: Large molds, dies, and fixtures
- Defense: Vehicle components and weapons system parts
The Broader Defense AM Landscape
The AML3D contract is not an isolated case. Additional defense initiatives include:
- Applied Rapid Technologies (ART) winning DLA JAMA prime contractor designation for 3D printed defense parts
- OU-ORNL awarded $8.8M to streamline defense 3D printing certification
- Multiple branches of the U.S. military investing in additive manufacturing capabilities
Implications for Commercial Manufacturing
Technological advances developed for defense applications often eventually filter down to commercial use. As WAAM and other metal additive manufacturing technologies mature, commercial manufacturers may benefit from:
- Lower costs for large-scale metal parts
- Increased availability of custom metal fabrication services
- Improved supply chain reliability
- New design possibilities enabled by AM-optimized geometries
PrintVX offers a range of metal 3D printing and CNC machining services for custom parts manufacturing. While our current capabilities focus on precision applications, we continue to monitor developments in large-scale WAAM technology for future expansion.