PADT Brings Rapid Fusion LFAM to the US

October 9, 2025 by Joris Peels 3D Printing Aerospace 3D Printing North America

Share this Article

Arizona-based product development and 3D printing services firm PADT is bringing UK-based Rapid Fusion to the US. PADT is a reseller of Stratasys, EOS, ZEISS, and ANSYS, as well as a company that helps aerospace, defense, and medical companies develop, engineer, and manufacture 3D printed products. PADT will now offer Rapid Fusion to its established defense and industrial customers and try to expand its use in the United States. Rapid Fusion is an additive manufacturing OEM specializing in large-format robot arm-based pellet extruder systems and automated cell-based 3D printers.

Rapid Fusion’s Medusa unit can extrude 17 kilograms of material per hour at a movement speed of 1200 mm/s, with reported tolerances of ±25µm at temperatures up to 400°C. With a 1.2m³ build volume, the system has a tool changer that can switch between three tools and an HSD Mechatronics CNC spindle. The unit can dry pellets, track progress with thermal cameras, and automatically change beds for serial production of large parts. Rapid Fusion seems to have a very mature system on its hands with a lot of very useful features. The company also has a rather free-flowing style of imaginative White Paper prose with gems such as,

“The Manufacturing Singularity. In the silence of your factory floor, Medusa awakens. Three tools. One mind. Infinite possibilities,” and “Bob isn’t just an AI—it’s your digital craftsman. Every millisecond, Bob processes thousands of decisions. Temperature gradients. Material flow rates. Tool paths. Surface qualities. Like a master artisan with perfect memory, Bob learns from every layer, every pass, every part. Your expertise, immortalized in algorithms,” and, “this isn’t monitoring. It’s manufacturing clairvoyance.”

Run from a Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500 PLC with Schneider Electric 3kW servos, and onboard AI build or Adaxis integration, the system can print pellets or filament. With filament, the system can print Ultem and CF & GF materials at 500°C on nozzle sizes ranging from 0.4 to 1.8mm. The system can have an enclosed chamber, which will, of course, help with warp and repeatability. The company also has an upgrade kit that can turn your existing gantry or robot into a 3D printer. There is also an Apollo system and Zeus, which comes with the CNC tool and tool changers.

PADT Principal Rey Chu said that,

“We’ve supported aerospace and defense customers with LFAM for years, but they needed more larger-format systems, flexible robotics, and sustainable materials, Rapid Fusion is disrupting the sector in the UK and Europe, delivering scalable, high-throughput solutions that exceed the limits of traditional gantry or filament-fed systems.”

While Rapid Fusion Managing Director Jake Hand said,

“When we met PADT’s leadership, we were impressed by their legacy and deep understanding of manufacturing- Together, we’ll deliver modular 3D platforms, AM modules, and robotic AM cells that empower manufacturers to produce large, cost-effective components with high output and sustainability.”

This is an excellent move for Rapid Fusion. There is a burgeoning US market for LFAM, especially in shipbuilding, defense, and aerospace tooling. PADT has a large number of long-term customers in those areas, bringing with them long-standing relationships and trust that will greatly benefit Rapid Fusion in the US. Especially in the defense and aerospace market, entry would be very difficult for a foreign company. Large-format hand lay-up tooling requires precision, a predictable coefficient of thermal expansion, and a reasonable cost. If implemented, the parts made with this tool will often be critical and will be made as part of a regular business process. Reliability, repeatability, and good uptime are therefore obligatory, not features. Adoption will take a long time, but once in, an LFAM production cell will be productive and important to the client. In that business, trust is therefore essential, trust and, of course, understanding labyrinthine aerospace primes.

For PADT, this is a new product that can be cross-sold to an existing customer base. Considering the need for large-scale additive in the US, this seems like a good move for them as well. In addition to the obvious applications, LFAM polymer parts can be used in outdoor advertising, industrial settings, construction, furniture making, missile production, hulls, interiors, and many other areas. From specialty vehicles to superyachts and drones, there are applications here, and we have yet to find out which ones are going to be key in this segment’s future. This is an exciting time for LFAM, and we can’t wait to see how this industry segment grows.