Linares (Spain), July 17, 2024 - The French Navy has approved the use of a unique additive manufacturing technology developed by the Spanish company Meltio for realistic manoeuvres. With this, Meltio has achieved the third approval of its metal 3D printing technology in the defense sector. After a successful implementation on a US Navy ship, the technology has now been adopted by the Spanish military, which is already using it in the production and repair of metal parts.
The approval of Meltio technology by the French Navy took place during military maneuvers at the end of May this year. During these maneuvers, the metal 3D printer Meltio was used experimentally, after undergoing adoption tests over the past few months. The Ministry of Defense of France confirmed this success, evaluating the solution as effective, and announced the continuation of the validation of Meltio technology.
The French Navy is already considering the introduction of Meltio technology in the next real-world maneuvers, with the possibility of installing 3D printers on the ships of its fleet in the future.
Meltio has solidified its unique metal additive manufacturing technology in the defense sector. The Spanish multinational company based in Linares (Jaén) has successfully passed various technological tests on its hardware, metal materials and software around the world. Meltio has become a strategic and reliable partner, meeting the high demands of various armies around the world with its disruptive 3D printing technology.
In addition to these achievements, Sicnova, Meltio's distributor in Spain, signed a contract with the Spanish Ministry of Defense at the end of 2023 to introduce additive manufacturing in all three branches of the Spanish military over the next four years.
Currently, other countries' militaries are also validating Meltio's unique additive manufacturing technology. This interest from the defense sector opens the door to companies in the aeronautical sector, which are already testing the technology of this Spanish multinational company.
Meltio assists the aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle"
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is experimentally using Meltio's 3D metal printing solution. In May 2024, during the military exercise "Ursa Minor" - an intensive operational maintenance exercise - a special repair experiment was carried out in the workshops of the Navy's logistics department in Toulon. The Meltio solution is installed ashore at the Toulon Arsenals and is used to manufacture and repair metal parts for the aircraft carrier.
The Meltio printer uses a variety of materials, including stainless steel, titanium, inconel, mild steel and tool steel.
Experimentation with technology enables the supply and repair of fully dense parts for a variety of industrial applications, at a low production cost per cubic centimeter.
Another aspect of the technological challenge faced by the French engineering team was that the part to be produced had to be made of metal, a first for the division, which had never used this manufacturing process until then. Meltio technology works on the principle of direct energy deposition (DED) , which involves stacking layers of welding wire, which is introduced into a molten bath generated by a laser. The process is based on digital modeling of the replacement part, which is a key prerequisite for production.
The use of metal 3D printing enables the supply of fully dense parts for various industrial applications. These parts are produced at a low production cost per cubic centimeter. In addition, the speed of execution and efficiency are such that production is more competitive compared to traditional methods, such as locksmithing, forging and others.
Speaking about the experience with Meltio technology, Jean-Marc Quenez, Director of Innovation at the Fleet Support Service of the French Ministry of Defense (SSF), said:
"We are in the initial phase of using the Meltio M450 for Marine Nationale . Currently its use is experimental. The French Navy uses the Meltio M450 on land. The machine is installed at our naval base in Toulon. After months of preliminary testing at our Technology Center in Toulouse (DGA/Techniques Aéronautiques) in the south of France, where we tested the Meltio DED wire laser technology, the printer has been approved for transfer to Toulon. The main objective of this transfer is machine testing for the needs of naval ships that sail and have requirements for repairs and production of parts from various metal materials, predominantly stainless steel and inconel, for which the Meltio M450 has been shown to efficiently produce high quality parts."
Quenez continued:
"In May 2024, we conducted the Ursa Minor 2024 exercise, during which the aircraft carrier 'Charles de Gaulle' simulated a request for the repair of metal parts. We produced the metal parts using the Meltio M450 on shore and delivered them to the aircraft carrier. The exercise was successful. We plan to conduct more exercises of this type in the coming months, and in the future the French Navy is considering the possibility of installing a metal 3D printer on ships for testing in shipboards. conditions."
He added:
"We chose the Meltio M450 for this first step in metal 3D printing because it allows us to easily repair existing metal parts. With this machine, we produce test parts using DED technology and then further process and machine them to our needs. The Meltio M450 meets our expectations in terms of reliability and ease of use for our engineers. We expect this metal 3D printer to remain functional and be part of our pilot program for the use of additive manufacturing."
Since its establishment in 2019, Meltio has realized significant projects in the defense sector, strengthening its position as a strategic partner for the production and repair of metal parts in various industrial sectors. Their technology is based on a patented 3D printing head, which uses lasers and a wire welding technique to melt different metal materials.
Other achievements of Meltio in the defense sector
The Meltio solution on board the USS Bataan
Meltio, together with its US distributor Phillips Corporation – a global leader in manufacturing solutions – implemented a metal 3D printing solution for the first time on a US Navy ship. This solution enables the production of spare parts and repairs directly on board.
Phillips Additive Hybrid , based on Haas technology, integrates Meltio's laser metal deposition technology with the renowned Haas CNC vertical processing machine, which is installed aboard the USS Bataan . This equipment is the result of a joint project between the Atlantic Ocean Surface Fleet Command and the NAVSEA (Naval Systems Command) Technology Office. The system includes a Meltio laser wire deposition head integrated with a Haas TM-1 CNC machine, enabling precision fabrication and on-site repairs of metal parts.
The first 3D printed part using Meltio solutions aboard the USS Bataan
Another significant achievement in the United States of America is the printing of the first part on the USS Bataan , which demonstrated the successful results of the Meltio hybrid system installed on this warship. In this case, the part was produced using a computerized CNC milling machine.
Procurement of spare parts at sea is a challenge, especially due to limited space and the fact that many parts, which are several decades old, are almost completely obsolete.
The USS Bataan solves this problem by being the first to implement a hybrid manufacturing system that incorporates a Meltio laser metal deposition head on a CNC machine, giving sailors the ability to produce industrial parts directly on board.
Meltio's solution made it possible to produce a replacement metal 3D part for a Ballast Air Compressor (DBAC) in just 5 days , instead of waiting weeks through the Navy's usual supply channels.
This part is used to push compressed air through the brine tanks and drain the accumulated brine. The tanks are filled to reduce the ship's draft during amphibious operations. Fabrication of the metal spray plate on board significantly reduced the time required to procure a replacement assembly.
Meltio - Technology awarded by Xtech and the US Department of Defense
The success of Meltio technology aboard the USS Bataan allowed the Spanish company to gain technological trust and accreditation in the United States of America. The US Department of Defense (DoD) awarded Meltio technology with the XtechInternational award, recognizing Meltio as a "strategic technology partner" in the country's current and future development plans in the military and security industry. This is the first time that a Spanish company has received this recognition in the field of additive manufacturing.
Milestone Sicnova, distributor of Meltio solutions, with the Spanish Ministry of Defense
Soluciones Sicnova , the distributor of Meltio solutions in Spain, signed an agreement with the Ministry of Defense on the implementation of a four-year plan of joint activities for the development and implementation of the digitization strategy. This strategy aims to simplify the production of parts and spare parts in supply chains.
The goal of the Ministry of Defense is to improve the supply chains and logistics of the Armed Forces, increase the operability of fleets and resources in operations, as well as overcome the problem of obsolescence of parts and components. The strategy also focuses on extending the life of equipment through design and additive manufacturing, enabling the development and production of parts, spare parts and tools.
About Meltio company
Meltio takes metal additive manufacturing to the next level by developing and manufacturing high-performance, affordable and simple metal 3D printing solutions using laser wire metal deposition (LMD) technology. The company's mission is to delight its customers, partners and employees by pioneering the development of affordable metal 3D printing systems that are reliable, safe and powerful, continuously cementing its status as a disruptor. Meltio is revolutionizing the way metal parts are manufactured and repaired by achieving highly reliable results and extremely dense parts using its additive manufacturing technology.
Industries such as automotive, aeronautics, oil and gas, mining, research centers, universities and many others in more than 60 countries are already using Meltio solutions. Meltio, based in Linares (Spain), develops and manufactures high-quality, disruptive products for prominent industrial end-users and research organizations such as universities and R&D-oriented companies.
The current portfolio of metal solutions includes:
- new Meltio M600 metal 3D printer launched globally in March 2024,
- Meltio M450 metal 3D printer,
- Meltio Engine CNC integration, which turns almost any CNC machine into a powerful hybrid production center,
- Meltio Engine robotic integration, the perfect platform for large and complex 3D printing, repair, coating and adding features.
Another industrial solution offered by the Spanish multinational is the Meltio Robot Cell , a closed and safe robotic cell that includes a standard ABB robotic arm for 3D printing larger and more voluminous metal parts from different metal materials.