HII orders NXG 600E from Nikon SLM Solutions

Nikon SLM Solutions, a unit of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing, has received an order from HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division for its first NXG 600E system. HII is the largest military shipbuilder in the United States and designs, builds, and refuels US Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines at NNS.

Expanding the use of large-format metal additive manufacturing to support US Navy surface and submarine shipbuilding programs is a key component of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing’s (Nikon AM) vision of leveraging its holistic capabilities to help enable and scale the defense industrial base on US shores. Earlier this year, Nikon AM and the US Navy Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program announced a foundational partnership, also utilizing an NXG 600E system, to accelerate qualification, workforce development, and deployment of metal AM using Copper Nickel (CuNi) to support shipbuilding.

The NXG 600E is Nikon SLM Solutions’ large-volume, multi-laser platform engineered for high-productivity, performance-critical components. It will be installed at Newport News Shipbuilding, making it the first US shipyard with the capability.

“This latest NXG 600E order underscores the strategic importance of metal additive manufacturing to U.S. Navy shipbuilding programs, and marks another milestone in Nikon AM’s holistic approach towards scaling the defense industrial base on U.S. shores. We are proud to strengthen our relationship with HII and the Navy to deliver the AM capabilities that are imperative to national security,” said Hamid Zarringhalam, CEO of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing and Chairman of the Board at Nikon SLM Solutions.