The defense industry operates under extreme conditions, requiring materials with superior strength, heat resistance, and durability. Additive manufacturing (AM) offers valuable advantages to the defense industry by enabling innovative and distributed manufacturing of demanding materials and complex designs, reducing reliance on foreign supply chains, and minimizing geopolitical risks.
Defense
Within AM, Freemelt’s E-PBF (Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion) technology offers significant advantages for producing high-quality, and fully dense components in demanding materials like copper and refractory metals such as tungsten. These materials are essential for critical defense applications, including hypersonics, missiles, drones, and other high-performance warfare systems. With the ability to process refractory and heat-resistant metals, Freemelt’s E-PBF technology opens new possibilities for innovation in advanced defense systems.
The value additive manufacturing brings to the defense industry
Shorten time-to-market
Shorten lead times and seamless transition from prototyping to full-scale serial production
Innovative manufacturing
Design and material flexibility enable the manufacturing of complex designs and demanding materials, with the ability to build the functional part in one process
Distributed manufacturing
Enable full control of the manufacturing process from material to functional part. The part is manufactured where the part is needed. Reduce reliance on foreign supply chains and minimize geopolitical risks.
Superior E-PBF technology & unique e¯MELT® design
The value Freemelt’s E-PBF technology brings to the defense industry
Tungsten
High-temperature, high-power process
High-beam power and a process temperature above 1200°C ensure superior strength, durability, and dense tungsten parts suitable for the most demanding defense applications.
Process under vacuum
The ultra-clean vacuum environment prevents oxygen contamination and purifies tungsten during processing, achieving oxygen levels as low as single ppm, enabling superior material quality.
Push-feed powder delivery system
Enable the use of cost-efficient irregular powders and expanded supply chains.
Active water cooling
Water cooling during and after the build, reduces post-cooling time to about 30 minutes, for improved mechanical strength and fully dense parts.
Defense applications printed in Freemelt’s machines
Tungsten rocket nozzle
Tungsten rocket nozzle
Tungsten penetrator
Copper
Electron beam melting
The E-PBF process uses electron beam melting, enabling stable and efficient processing of copper, where other manufacturing technologies often struggle.
Process under vacuum
The ultra-clean vacuum environment prevents oxidation and enables ultra-low oxygen levels, critical for achieving high ductility.
Unique spot melting technology
Enables superior heat distribution during printing, tailoring copper’s microstructure, ideal for advanced electromagnetic applications.
Freemelt – Your partner for innovative defense applications
From hypersonics to drones, Freemelt’s E-PBF technology provides the defense industry with the agility to develop and manufacture critical components faster and more efficiently than ever before. With extensive expertise in E-PBF technology, Freemelt is at the forefront of advancing additive manufacturing for defense applications.
Ready to take your manufacturing to the next level – Freemelt is your partner from initial material qualification to application development and seamless transfer into full-scale serial production. Contact us today to explore how Freemelt’s E-PBF technology can enhance your production capabilities.
Read more
Elevating tungsten manufacturing, six reasons to use e¯MELT®
Freemelt has established collaborations with Saab Dynamics, Linköping University, and U.S defense companies.
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