Velo3D and Linde AMT Target CuNi 3D Printing for US Navy Supply Chain

Velo3D‘s (Nasdaq: VELO) resurrection continues, and now the firm is working together with Linde AMT (Linde Advanced Material Technologies) on CuNi for the US Navy and Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program. CuNi, in this case, a 70-30 Copper Nickel alloy, will be made in Indianapolis by Linde AMT, and Velo will print parts for free on a Sapphire XC for Navy and MIB clients.

CuNi is known for its excellent corrosion resistance, good thermal conductivity, and good mechanical strength and is used extensively in applications such as desalination, pumps, engines, manifolds, and other marine applications. It would be super exciting if this were used in marine propulsion applications or the hull, but it could also see excellent service for cooling components, hydraulics, condensers, heat exchangers, onboard fresh water production, and more. Every component on a submarine is vital and critical, given the environment. There’s not a lot of fat or ornament on submarines. So even a relatively non-important-seeming system or subsystem will be essential for the crew and the mission.

Andy Shives, Velo3D’s Global Director of Sales, noted,

“This collaboration with Velo3D ensures a vertically integrated, U.S.-made solution of powder, printers, and parts all produced domestically, Our Indiana powder facility has completed another atomization expansion and is primed to scale high-quality powder production to meet current and future defense demands.”

While Velo CEO Arun Jeldi stated,

“Partnering with Linde AMT supports our mission to bolster the Navy’s surge capacity and accelerate modernization. Together, we deliver an agile, secure, and scalable manufacturing solution that aligns with our nation’s defense priorities.”

The project will take place in the light of shipbuilding modernization and readiness. This is excellent news for Velo and Linde since it will see their products made available to a wide range of players with considerable buying power. By making it easy for these players to obtain components, the growth of additive manufacturing components within shipbuilding may increase. We know that ships take too long to build and too long to repair. Increasing part production could help accelerate timelines. Quicker than casting or forging, we can put a real dent in delays as an industry. We also all know that making conventional parts through 3D printing is usually wasteful and leads to rather expensive parts. The perverse economics of military shipbuilding could see companies make contracts through the adoption of faster but more expensive parts, but it could also be more profitable to adopt slower methods or to stick to the old ways, more traditional practices. It may be a long time coming for systems to be designed from the ground up for 3D printing, which would unlock all the benefits of Additive. Meanwhile, we’re in a kind of limbo where significant investments in work and money will have to be made to create future opportunities.

This could be a moment where some players could steal a march on others and capture important relationships and contracts. But there will still be hurdles in qualification, testing, cultural acceptance of parts, and training. Newfangled doesn’t always mean better. Program managers may be unwilling to shoulder costs on “their” projects that may retard them while bringing benefits to their company or the Navy at some future date. The government funding situation in the US is currently uncertain and chaotic, which may keep firms from making any long-term investments for the greater good.

3D printing for submarines and beyond is far from a sure thing. The brass ring, if you will, may be the replacement of cast nickel aluminium bronze for a large part of some key components. That would have a significant global impact on the entire revenue of our industry. In total, the US Navy spends around $25 billion on maintenance, while it aims to pay around $40 billion a year on shipbuilding for 30 years. We’d only need a teeny slice of that pie for it to really matter to us. The Navy seems intent on sustaining us in order for us to help with shipbuilding and sustainment. This development will be an important driver for growth for firms able to make printers and materials in the US going forward.