Callisto payload testing at Lockheed Martin. This technology will be integrated into NASA’s Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I uncrewed mission to the Moon.

Velo3D, Inc. has announced Lockheed Martin is using Velo3D’s end-to-end additive manufacturing solution for its Additive Design & Manufacturing Center, which pilots new additive manufacturing technologies for production deployments in Lockheed Martin’s Space division. Velo3D was selected for its advanced quality assurance capabilities made possible through its Assure software, which provides layer-by-layer traceability of machine health, part integrity, and build reporting. 

The solution Velo3D has delivered to Lockheed Martin includes a Sapphire printer, Velo3D’s Flow print preparation software, its Assure quality assurance and control software, and its underlying Intelligent Fusion manufacturing process, which optimizes the additive manufacturing process by combining process simulation, geometry-based detection, and build process monitoring during print execution. This end-to-end solution gives customers the confidence that the mission-critical parts printed using Velo3D’s additive manufacturing technology preserve design intent. It also provides customers with the ability to produce identical parts across any Velo3D Sapphire printer, so as production needs increase, customers can merely add additional printers to their production facilities anywhere in the world or utilize Velo3D’s network of contract manufacturers. 

“The past few years have uncovered weaknesses in the global supply chain, which is causing many companies to evaluate new technologies to feed production of their mission-critical parts and hardware, and distribute their manufacturing processes,” said Benny Buller, Velo3D CEO and founder. “An additive manufacturing solution that can print identical parts anywhere you have a printer can not only help solve some very specific, complex challenges in our global supply chain, it can also lower production costs and lead times, and enable the manufacturing of parts in closer proximity to where they are needed.” 

The company's latest Sapphire XC system enables higher productivity and lower production costs for Velo3D customers. It also enables the printing of parts that are 600 mm in diameter and up to 550 mm in height.