Kratos Defense & Security Solutions to Leverage the Most Advanced Metal Additive Manufacturing Solution Available With the Purchase of a Velo3D Sapphire Printer
- Velo3D and Kratos SRE are collaborating to transform supply chains by enabling the high-speed, low-cost production of metal parts.
- Kratos SRE has acquired a Velo3D Sapphire printer to support its technology development, allowing for rapid prototyping and manufacturing of metal parts.
- The Velo3D solution will be used to accelerate the vertical integration of critical supply chains in certain areas of the broader Kratos organization.
- The companies will be attending the Military Additive Manufacturing Summit & Technology Showcase in Tampa, Florida on January 16-17, 2024.
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The acquisition of a Velo3D Sapphire printer by Kratos SRE, a subsidiary of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, signals a strategic move to enhance their supply chain capabilities in the defense sector. This integration of advanced metal additive manufacturing technology emphasizes the industry's shift towards more agile and cost-effective production methods. The ability to rapidly produce mission-critical parts on-demand aligns with the defense industry's need for quick adaptation to changing requirements and the reduction of dependency on traditional supply chains, which can be vulnerable to disruptions.
Furthermore, the Velo3D's technology enables Kratos to innovate continuously, which is crucial given the competitive nature of defense contracting. The potential reduction in lead times and costs, as well as the ability to scale production efficiently, could provide Kratos with a significant competitive advantage. By leveraging the Velo3D Contract Manufacturer Network before acquiring their own printer, Kratos demonstrates a cautious yet forward-thinking approach to adopting new technologies, which could serve as a model for other companies in the sector.
Metal additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, has become a transformative force in manufacturing due to its ability to create complex geometries that are difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional subtractive methods. The Velo3D Sapphire printer represents a state-of-the-art example of this technology, with capabilities that are particularly suited to the defense industry's stringent requirements for precision and reliability.
By incorporating the Velo3D solution into its rapid prototyping and manufacturing center, Kratos SRE can potentially streamline their design cycles, allowing for faster iteration and implementation of design improvements. The Characterization of Additive Manufactured Metals (CAMM) program mentioned in the context of Kratos's operations highlights the importance of understanding material properties in additive manufacturing, which can differ significantly from those of conventionally manufactured parts. This knowledge is critical to ensuring the reliability and performance of parts in extreme environments, a common scenario in defense applications.
The mention of Velo3D printers achieving Green-level Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) compliance is noteworthy, as it underscores the importance of cybersecurity in the defense manufacturing sector. This compliance allows Velo3D printers to connect to the DoD's Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet), which is a significant facilitator for defense-related projects and indicates a high level of trust in the security of Velo3D's systems.
For defense contractors and the DoD, the assurance that additive manufacturing equipment meets stringent security standards is critical. It not only protects sensitive data but also ensures the integrity of the manufacturing process. The ability to connect securely to SIPRNet can streamline the acquisition process for defense contractors, potentially accelerating the adoption of additive manufacturing solutions and fostering innovation within the defense supply chain.
The Velo3D Solution Will Support Kratos’s Effort to Transform its Supply Chains by Enabling the High-speed, Low-cost Production of Metal Parts
“It’s important to our team to leverage new, advanced manufacturing technologies so we can maintain our leadership in the defense industry and better serve our customers,” said Michael Johns, Kratos SRE Senior Vice President. “With Velo3D’s solution, we expect to be able to further unlock high-speed manufacturing capabilities that reduce lead times and lower costs of the parts we develop. In addition, it will allow us to rapidly innovate and accelerate design cycles for parts used in existing platforms.”
Kratos SRE has been a long-time user of Velo3D’s metal additive manufacturing solution, leveraging the technology through the Velo3D Contract Manufacturer Network. Kratos SRE focuses on designing and building parts, systems, and structures for extreme environments. It also oversees the Characterization of Additive Manufactured Metals (CAMM) program, which analyzes additive materials to understand process variation in specimens and tests designs ahead of high-volume production. Data gathered through CAMM is aggregated into a materials database of key process variations, which is used to better understand the properties of additively manufactured parts and identify new use cases for the technology.
“Forward-thinking defense companies like Kratos are increasingly adopting additive manufacturing technology because it can enable continuous design improvements and unlock highly scalable production to meet fluctuating demands,” said Brad Kreger, Velo3D CEO and EVP of Operations. “The beauty of our solution is that companies can begin by leveraging the Velo3D Contract Manufacturer Network and then purchase their own printer as their demand for parts increases. Once their needs exceed the throughput capability of a single machine, it’s simple to scale production to other printers, including our large format Sapphire XC.”
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Velo3D and Kratos SRE will be attending the Military Additive Manufacturing Summit & Technology Showcase in
About Velo3D:
Velo3D is a metal 3D printing technology company. 3D printing—also known as additive manufacturing (AM)—has a unique ability to improve the way high-value metal parts are built. However, legacy metal AM has been greatly limited in its capabilities since its invention almost 30 years ago. This has prevented the technology from being used to create the most valuable and impactful parts, restricting its use to specific niches where the limitations were acceptable.
Velo3D has overcome these limitations so engineers can design and print the parts they want. The company’s solution unlocks a wide breadth of design freedom and enables customers in space exploration, aviation, power generation, energy, and semiconductor to innovate the future in their respective industries. Using Velo3D, these customers can now build mission-critical metal parts that were previously impossible to manufacture. The fully integrated solution includes the Flow print preparation software, the Sapphire family of printers, and the Assure quality control system—all of which are powered by Velo3D’s Intelligent Fusion manufacturing process. The company delivered its first Sapphire system in 2018 and has been a strategic partner to innovators such as SpaceX, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Lockheed Martin, Avio, and General Motors. Velo3D has been named as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023. For more information, please visit Velo3D.com, or follow the company on LinkedIn or Twitter.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1996. The Company’s actual results may differ from its expectations, estimates and projections and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect”, “estimate”, “project”, “budget”, “forecast”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “may”, “will”, “could”, “should”, “believes”, “predicts”, “potential”, “continue”, and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the Company’s goals for 2023 and the Company’s other expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions, or strategies for the future. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Most of these factors are outside the Company’s control and are difficult to predict. The Company cautions not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, including projections, which speak only as of the date made. The Company does not undertake or accept any obligation to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in its expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Velo, Velo3D, Sapphire, and Intelligent Fusion, are registered trademarks of Velo3D, Inc. Without Compromise, Flow and Assure, are trademarks of Velo3D, Inc.
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press@velo3d.com
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Source: Velo3D, Inc.
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