3D Systems Enhances Aerospace and Defense Investment

3D Systems shares momentum in its Aerospace & Defense (A&D) business, including revenue growth projections, U.S. facility expansion, and technological advancements. These initiatives position the company to capitalize on rising demand for secure, U.S.-based manufacturing in national security and space applications, 3D Systems reports. 

Key Highlights:

• Strong Revenue Trajectory: The A&D business is forecasted to have grown over 15% in 2025, rising to more than 20% in 2026. Revenue from production printing systems and custom metal parts is expected to exceed $35 million in 2026, driven by greater adoption in defense and space programs.
• Projected Business Leadership: After several years of sustained double-digit growth, A&D is on track to become 3D Systems’ largest industrial business in 2026, fueled by rising demand across crewed/uncrewed aircraft, naval platforms, defense systems, rocket propulsion, and satellite systems.
• Strategic Capacity Expansion: 3D Systems is adding up to 80,000 square feet to its Littleton, CO, facility, enhancing its A&D Application Center of Excellence. This phased investment expands capacity for application development, process qualification, validation, and production-scale manufacturing.
• Fully Qualified Production Scaling: The Littleton facility has been selected for certification under the America Makes JAQS-SQ framework. This effort, under the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining, in collaboration with the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) aims to scale defense industrial base capabilities for qualified additive manufacturing (AM) production.
• Next-Generation Metal Printing Platform: The company is progressing on schedule in its multi-phase, $18.5 million U.S. Air Force-sponsored program to develop next-generation laser powder-bed fusion technologies for large format, high-efficiency metal part production.

• Fully-Domestic U.S. Ecosystem:  When completed in 2027, 3D Systems will be a U.S. provider of an end-to-end metal additive manufacturing ecosystem onshore for large-frame metal printing systems (over 1 m print area)—encompassing system design (San Diego), next-generation printer manufacturing (Rock Hill, SC), and certified metal parts production with advanced application development (Littleton, CO). 
• Complementary Global Capabilities: Paralleling the company’s U.S. A&D infrastructure, European operations provide aerospace-focused design and application expertise in Leuven, Belgium (AS9100-certified), and metal printer production in Riom, France—directly supporting European, Korean, Japanese, and other international A&D customers. In addition, the NAMI joint venture in Saudi Arabia is advancing localized A&D solutions, including a collaboration with Lockheed Martin to qualify and manufacture components within the Kingdom for global markets.

“Aerospace and defense customers worldwide increasingly require a reliable partner that delivers qualified, scalable solutions with speed, security, and supply chain resilience—supported by deep regional expertise and seamless global capabilities,” says Dr. Jeffrey Graves, president and CEO of 3D Systems. “Our Littleton expansion and strategic investments are significantly strengthening our U.S.-based Application Center of Excellence with advanced engineering, qualification-ready platforms, and expanded production capacity—dramatically accelerating the path from prototype to mission-critical deployment and improving outcomes for customers across our U.S., European, and international operations.”

The Littleton expansion supports 3D Systems' strategy, combining hardware, materials, software, and expertise across four core value drivers:

• Supply Chain Resilience: Regionalized manufacturing reduces lead times and risks.
• New Application Development: Through its Application Innovation Group (AIG), 3D Systems co-develops lightweight, consolidated designs with customers.
• Printing Solutions: In partnership with NIAR and the America Makes Joint Metal Additive Database Definition (JMADD), 3D Systems is working to develop materials allowables on the DMP 350 system that will facilitate additional programs for challenging end-uses.
• Propulsion and Casting Applications: QuickCast Air and additive casting workflows enable complex geometries, rapid iteration, and cost reduction in aviation, space, and energy.

“We are prioritizing A&D applications where additive manufacturing delivers maximum mission impact—from shipbuilding and advanced defense systems to aviation and space,” says Dr. Mike Shepard, vice president, aerospace & defense business at 3D Systems. “Our broad technology portfolio and ability to co-develop and efficiently scale critical applications have been key to our success.”

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.