Back in 2023, 3D Systems entered into a ~$10.76M contract with the US Air Force to develop a large-scale metal 3D printing platform for the production of flight-ready parts at scale. The program, called “Large-Format Metal 3D Printer Advanced Technology Demonstrator (GEN-II DMP-1000)”, has since been extended twice: once last year with an additional $7.65M in funding awarded to 3D Systems and now again with a further $9 million.

Each funding extension has represented a new phase in the Air Force AM development program, which is currently slated for completion in September 2027. The metal LFAM development, focused on “hypersonic relevant” capabilities, is being carried out by 3D Systems at its facilities in Rock Hill, South Carolina and San Diego, California.

“This award increases total project funding to $27.4 million and reflects the U.S. Air Force’s continued confidence in our technology, its development path, and our teams,” explained Dr. Michael Shepard, Vice President of Aerospace & Defense at 3D Systems. “It has been exciting to see the system come together, and we look forward to working with additional partners on new applications as the platform matures.”

While not many details on the ongoing program have been disclosed, the “GEN-II DMP-1000” name does give us some hints. For one, based on 3D Systems’ nomenclature for its DMP Factory 500, which has a build size of 500 x 500 x 500 mm, it seems possible that the LFAM system being developed could have a build envelope spanning one meter (1,000 mm), at least in one direction. (But again, this is mere speculation.) The DMP Factory 500 is 3D Systems’ largest metal 3D printer currently on the market and integrates three 500W fiber lasers.

The US Air Force has been a keen adopter of additive manufacturing technologies in recent decades, employing the technology to reinforce supply chains, maintain equipment—including legacy or aging fleets—with on-demand spare parts, and develop complex, optimized structures to enable the next generation of propulsion and hypersonic flight systems.

On a more specific level, the applications for the technology are incredibly varied: earlier this summer, for instance, we reported that the US Air Force was advancing in its plan to fit its whole C-17 Globemaster III transport fleet with 3D printed microvanes to reduce aerodynamic drag. Even more recently, the US Air Force entered into a procurement agreement with CoAspire, which makes a Rapidly Adapatable and Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM) with a 3D printed fuselage. Elsewhere, the military division is using construction 3D printing to enhance infrastructure in the field.