FREMONT, CA, USA, Jun 5, 2025 – Velo3D, Inc. (OTCQX: VLDX), a leader in metal additive manufacturing (AM) technology, announced a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with two Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) federal laboratories, Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) and Fleet Readiness Center East (FRC East), to advance additive manufacturing capabilities for the aerospace and defense sectors.
Under the terms of the four-year agreement, Velo3D will collaborate with NAWCAD and FRC East to explore and characterize advanced materials tailored for military flight hardware. The partnership aims to enhance the understanding of AM for production of complex, high-performance components used in military aircraft and systems, ensuring these parts meet the rigorous standards required for defense operations.
“This CRADA with NAWCAD and FRC East represents a significant milestone in advancing our ability to provide precise, repeatable and scalable additive manufacturing solutions for the defense industry,” Arun Jeldi, Chief Executive Officer for Velo3D. “By focusing on engineering-driven solutions, we are helping to bridge the gap toward qualifying AM flight hardware and enabling the production of mission-critical parts that meet the stringent reliability and performance demands of defense applications.”
The collaboration will leverage Velo3D’s advanced metal 3D printing capabilities, including its Sapphire family of printers, which are designed for high-precision, high-performance parts. Velo3D’s engineering team will work closely with NAWCAD and FRC East’s technical experts to characterize and understand the manufacturing processes, developing applications and printing techniques that can meet the demanding qualification requirements and the real-world conditions of military applications. The goal is to understand this advanced manufacturing capability that can produce part designs that not only meet the military’s rigorous performance standards but also allow for rapid iteration, cost efficiency and flexibility in production.
“The collaboration brings together the shared expertise of NAVAIR and Velo3D to develop and expand the application of additive manufacturing technology for sustainment of Naval aviation platforms,” Paul Charron, Additive Manufacturing Lead, Fleet Readiness Center East, NAVAIR. “The utilization of advanced technology, such as AM, drives positive fleet outcomes including improved mission readiness and increased system performance.”
About Velo3D
Velo3D is a metal 3D printing technology Company. 3D printing—also known as additive manufacturing (AM)—has a unique ability to improve the way high-value metal parts are built. However, legacy metal AM has been greatly limited in its capabilities since its invention almost 30 years ago. This has prevented the technology from being used to create the most valuable and impactful parts, restricting its use to specific niches where the limitations were acceptable.
Velo3D has overcome these limitations so engineers can design and print the parts they want. The Company’s solution unlocks a wide breadth of design freedom and enables customers in space exploration, aviation, energy, and semiconductor to innovate the future in their respective industries. Using Velo3D, these customers can now build mission-critical metal parts that were previously impossible to manufacture. The fully integrated solution includes the Flow print preparation software, the Sapphire family of printers, and the Assure quality control system. Through this vertically integrated approach, the Velo3D ecosystem facilitates scalable metal AM using the same print file across any Sapphire system, ensuring repeatable outcomes without the need for additional optimization. This enhances manufacturing scalability and supply chain flexibility, allowing Velo3D customers to seamlessly adapt to fluctuating demand. The Company delivered its first Sapphire system in 2018 and has been a strategic partner to innovators such as SpaceX, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Lockheed Martin, Avio, and General Motors. Velo3D has been named as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023. For more information, please visit Velo3D.com, or follow the Company on LinkedIn or X.
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