Additive Manufacturing in the Defence Sector: From Spare Part to Mission-Ready Solution

Additive manufacturing Additive Manufacturing in the Defence Sector: From Spare Part to Mission-Ready Solution

2026-10-29 From Juliana Pfeiffer | Translated by AI 4 min Reading Time

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Additive manufacturing can speed up spare parts supply and maintenance, enable lightweight components, and open up new design freedom for engineers. But for use in the defence sector, it is not enough to successfully print a component: the process, material, testing, and approval must all fit together.

In the current Challenger 3 from Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), 3D-printed components are being used.(Source: RBSL) — In the current Challenger 3 from Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), 3D-printed components are being used.
(Source: RBSL)

The defence industry is currently, alongside aerospace, one of the most important drivers of additive manufacturing. Since 2022 and the new geopolitical situation, a great deal has changed in the industry in technological, financial, and volume terms.

In the defence sector, a missing component can have far-reaching consequences: a vehicle, aircraft, or ship may remain out of service longer than planned. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers an additional way to produce individual components and small series—especially when spare parts are difficult to obtain or conventional tooling and suppliers are lacking. It does not simply replace established production across the board. Rather, its value lies in manufacturing selected parts more flexibly and closer to actual demand.

Gallery

The prototype of a brake pedal for a Land Rover was printed in four segments from 17-4PH stainless steel using Metal Paste Deposition. Joining the parts by TIG welding is intended to optimize production costs and manufacturing time.(Source: RBSL)

The air ducts for the air-conditioned crew ventilation system of the current Challenger 3 tank are additively manufactured using Ultem 9085 in the FDM process.(Source: RBSL)

Another pre-production component of the Challenger 3 during the printing process: Manufactured using the metal paste deposition process from 17-4PH stainless steel and ceramic paste. On the left is the weight-optimized version, on the right the variant with a complete infill structure.(Source: RBSL)

Hatch cover handle of the Trojan armoured engineer vehicle, manufactured using the metal paste deposition process from 17-4PH stainless steel.(Source: RBSL)

Gallery with 5 images

Spare parts, maintenance and functional integration

A key area of application is the maintenance of older systems. A digital component model can provide the basis for manufacturing a rarely needed spare part again without first producing new tools. The prerequisites, however, are reliable design data, a suitable manufacturing chain, and approval of the component for its intended use.

Further applications range from fixtures and assembly aids to housings, air ducts, and structural components. Prototypes and small pre-series runs are also of interest for development: changes to the geometry can be implemented digitally before a company invests in expensive tooling or conventional series production.

Additive processes also make it possible to redesign components and integrate functions. This can reduce weight or the number of parts—but it must always be evaluated on the basis of the actual loads and the entire life cycle. At Rheinmetall UK, additive manufacturing has been on the agenda for many years, and by now the 3D-printed parts are also finding their way into the company’s military technology. In addition to a growing number of metal parts, for example, the air ducts for the air-conditioned ventilation system for the crew of the current Challenger 3 tank are additively manufactured using the filament process with the high-performance polymer Ultem 9085. This shows that additive manufacturing is also used for functional parts, not just for demonstration models.

AM as an industrial key technology

A broader perspective on additive manufacturing for the defence industry is offered by the Formnext AM Defence Summit, which will take place on 17/11/2026 and is organised by Formnext in cooperation with Additive Manufacturing Defence Network e.V. This summit focuses on the key question of how additive manufacturing, as a key industrial technology, can contribute to strengthening defence and security structures—from production and maintenance through to resilient, sovereign supply chains.

Further information

Four proceedings, different tasks

Four processes have become established for applications in the defence sector: In Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), metal powder is applied layer by layer and locally melted with a laser. The process is suitable for complex metal parts, internal channels, and weight-saving geometries. It is particularly interesting when conventional manufacturing would require multiple individual parts or elaborate machining steps. However, process control, post-processing, and inspection are demanding.

Directed Energy Deposition (DED) applies material locally: metal powder or wire is fed to an energy source and melted. DED can therefore be considered for repairs, coatings, or building up material on existing components. For designers, key aspects include the bond between the base material and the deposited material, the heat input, and the required post-processing. The additive manufacturing service provider Toolcraft used the DED process on behalf of Rheinmetall AG to produce components for the launcher unit of the TSWA. The TSWA (turret-independent secondary weapon system) is an unmanned weapon station mounted at the rear of the German Armed Forces’ Puma infantry fighting vehicle. Thanks to thin-walled and dense structures, welded individual components could be produced with low weight.

In FFF, a plastic filament is heated and deposited layer by layer. The process is suitable for prototypes, aids/tools, and selected functional plastic parts. However, strength is direction-dependent: components can behave differently along the layers than across them.

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Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) fuses plastic powder layer by layer. It enables complex geometries, including parts with integrated functions.
The processes are not interchangeable at will: component size, material, quantity, accuracy, and required properties determine the selection.

The challenge: qualifying components

For designers, one of the biggest tasks is to link the component function early on with manufacturing and later verification. In LPBF, component orientation and support structures influence surface quality, distortion, and material usage. In FFF, the load direction must match the layer orientation. In SLS, aspects such as powder removal and the inspectability of internal channels must be taken into account. In DED, heat input, distortion, and the quality of the transition zone between the base material and the deposited material must be assessed.
In addition, there is qualification:

ISO/ASTM 52920:2023 describes requirements for industrial AM processes and manufacturing sites.
ISO/ASTM 52904:2024 addresses process control in metal powder bed fusion for critical applications.
ISO/ASTM 52901 supports the specification of requirements when procuring additively manufactured parts.

These standards create a common framework, but they do not replace application-specific approval by the client or the responsible technical authority. Traceability, test procedures, and the protection of digital manufacturing data are also part of the overall concept.

What designers should decide early on

As early as the draft stage, function, loads, consequences of failure, and test requirements should be defined. This also includes the appropriate build orientation, minimum wall thicknesses, a support and post-processing concept, the material condition, as well as traceability of material and process parameters. Changes to the machine, parameters, or post-treatment may require a reassessment.

The decisive step is therefore coordination with the manufacturer, quality assurance, and the responsible approval authority before the design is finalised. Additive manufacturing can improve supply and design freedom—but in the defence sector it becomes reliable only through controlled processes, documented testing, and clear part approval.