Beehive Industries orders multiple Nikon SLM Solutions NXG 600E systems

After placing the biggest order of EOS Onyx metal AM systems, Beehive Industries, an American provider of additively enabled manufacturing solutions for space and A&D, placed a multi-unit, self-funded order for NXG 600E metal additive manufacturing systems from Nikon SLM Solutions, a unit of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing. The purchase gives Beehive ultra-large format printing capacity that remains limited elsewhere in the domestic market.

The NXG 600E, the largest machine Nikon SLM Solutions builds, has a 600 x 600 x 1,500 mm build envelope and twelve 1 kW lasers, built for high-throughput serial production of large metal components. Beehive is dedicating one machine to Constellium’s Aheadd CP1 aluminum and the second to Titanium Ti 64 (Ti-6Al-4V), giving it the capacity to manufacture whole vehicle bodies, large satellite substructures, and other large 3D printed components for space and A&D customers.

“There is a heavy overlap between the customers who rely on Beehive’s propulsion solutions and those who require advanced aerospace-printed solutions,” said Darius Ehteshami, Chief Operations and Finance Officer at Beehive Industries. “By investing proactively in these machines, Beehive is uniquely positioned to provide aerostructures and parts that enable our customers to fly higher and fly faster. This is Beehive doubling down on our history of large-format additive manufacturing, supporting our customers in both the A&D area and in space.”

“Manufacturers supporting today’s defense programs require production technology that can scale quickly and reliably,” said Hamid Zarringhalam, CEO and General Manager of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing. “Beehive Industries has built an impressive business around advanced propulsion and aerospace manufacturing, and we’re proud to support their continued growth with the NXG 600E platform.” He added: “Our companies are deeply committed to enabling and scaling the defense industrial base, and this represents a key step in delivering the advanced manufacturing capabilities that are crucial to the United States and our allied partners.”

CP1 aluminum and Titanium Ti 64 are both widely used across defense, space, and aerospace manufacturing, particularly in additive manufacturing. The new systems add to Beehive’s vertically integrated engineering, additive manufacturing, and testing capabilities, giving space and A&D companies faster access to domestic serial production for mission-critical components.

“This investment builds directly on our legacy of large-format expertise, extending it into the next generation of manufacturing for our external parts customers across the space, defense, and aerostructures sectors,” said Jonaaron Jones, President of Additive Parts Sales at Beehive Industries.

You can learn more about Beehive’s additively enabled manufacturing solutions and the company’s vision in VoxelMatters’ exclusive interview with CFO Darius Ehteshami, featured in our Aerospace AM Focus Book, released this week.