We Meet You Where You Are.
Whether you are starting with a concept and a set of specifications or arriving with a DfAM-optimized design ready to print, Vitesse can support your program at any stage. Our RF, mechanical, and additive manufacturing engineering teams assess the applicability of metal 3D printing to your specific requirements and are equally direct when a traditional manufacturing process is the better fit.
Capabilities
Printers and Powders
Vitesse operates two SLM selective laser melting systems for metal additive manufacturing:
SLM280 (build volume of 11″ x 11″ x 14″)
SLM500 (build volume of 19”x11”x14”)
Powders: AlSi10Mg and A6061-RAM2
Additional powder materials are available for evaluation based on program requirements.
Post-Processing Capabilities
Vitesse supports the full post-processing cycle for additively manufactured aerospace and defense components in-house. Capabilities include CNC machining for part and support removal, in-house electroplating in gold, silver, nickel, and copper, and heat treatment to program or Vitesse-defined specifications. Surface roughness improvement methodologies are continuously developed to meet tighter RF and functional surface requirements.
DFAM
Vitesse uses Materialise Magics software to evaluate part printability and guide design optimization. Our engineering teams apply Design for Additive Manufacturing principles to maintain critical RF, thermal, and mechanical performance while taking full advantage of the geometric freedom that 3D printing enables, including internal cooling channels, consolidated assemblies, and lightweight aerospace structures.
AM Experience
Vitesse has printed and tested a range of defense hardware components using additive manufacturing, including horn antennas, orthomode transducers, feed array networks, and 3D printed cold plates. Our teams have improved on existing designs by reducing part count and mass, taking advantage of the consolidated geometries that additive manufacturing makes possible. These builds have been validated against industry mechanical and RF performance specifications.
Additive Manufacturing Process Qualification
Vitesse is actively qualifying our additive manufacturing machines and processes with aerospace and defense customers. Our internal qualification standard is developed using NASA-STD-6030 as a baseline guideline, providing a structured framework for demonstrating process repeatability and material properties to program qualification requirements. Contact us to discuss your specific qualification needs.
Ready to experience the new possible?
Get in touch with our team and discover the solution that will enable your mission.