Laser Welding Solutions (LWS), a key supplier to the US Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base, has placed its first order for AML3D Limited’s 2600 Edition ARCEMY system.
In an ASX announcement, AML3D said that LWS will supply Nickel Aluminum Bronze (NAB) components to the US Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base using AML3D’s 2600 Edition ARCEMY metal 3D printer.
Under the terms of the agreement, LWS will lease the ARCEMY system for a 12-month period, with the option to acquire it at any point during the lease term.
The lease arrangement, valued at approximately AUD 0.27 million, also includes a 12-month software licensing and technical support contract.
In the event that LWS chooses not to purchase the ARCEMY system, it will be returned and made available for redeployment as part of AML3D’s broader US Scale-Up Strategy.
This lease-with-an-option-to-buy model offers LWS the flexibility to engage in ARCEMY production while mitigating associated risks.
To expedite LWS’s adoption of AML3D’s advanced metal 3D printing technology, the 2600 Edition ARCEMY unit will be airfreighted from AML3D’s facility in Adelaide, South Australia, to LWS’s Houston, Texas base.
This delivery is expected to enable full operational capacity within eight to 10 weeks.
Notably, AML3D is currently engaged in an ARCEMY metal 3D printed NAB alloy testing program for qualification to US Navy standards, which is funded through the BlueForge Alliance.
The components produced by LWS using the ARCEMY system will further bolster and accelerate this qualification program. BlueForge Alliance is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to supporting the enhancement and sustainability of the US Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base through technology adoption and acceleration.
This strategic order from LWS underscores the continued success of AML3D’s US Scale-Up Strategy, which includes integrating ARCEMY systems into suppliers for the US Navy.
Sean Ebert, the CEO of AML3D, expressed his excitement about this progress, emphasising that the lease agreement with LWS underscores the rising demand for AML3D’s technology in the supply chain of the US Navy’s submarine industrial base.
“It is exciting to see the momentum within AML3D’s US Scale-Up strategy continuing to build and to see the commercial benefits flowing from our deepening relationship with BlueForge Alliance. We will remain alert to opportunities to maximise this advantage, such as lease agreements and the rapid deployment of our ARCEMY systems.”
Ebert further emphasised the company’s commitment to providing advanced manufacturing solutions to the US Defense sector while fostering long-term, strategic partnerships within the US Navy’s submarine program and supply chain.
Additionally, AML3D’s US Scale-Up Strategy extends to meeting the advanced manufacturing and metal 3D printing needs of global Tier 1 Oil and Gas and Aerospace companies, leveraging collaborations like the one established with LWS to explore opportunities in these sectors.
