US DoD Deploys SPEE3D Printers to Ukraine

SPEE3D, a metal additive manufacturing company, is working with the US Department of Defense to deploy 3D printers and equipment training for the Ukrainian army. 

SPEE3D printers were supplied to Ukraine by the Department of Defense through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and will be deployed in various locations throughout the country. The U.S. Department of Defense invested in seven SPEE3D metal 3D printers and additional training for soldiers and engineers to leverage the company’s manufacturing technology. This capability will allow Ukrainian soldiers to rapidly fabricate parts for military equipment. 

“We’re focused on giving Ukrainian soldiers resources to fortify the maintenance and repair capabilities when and where it counts most,” says Chris Harris, vice president of Defense for SPEE3D. Our metal 3D printers will allow Ukrainian soldiers to manufacture metal parts at the point of need and in real-time so critical equipment can stay in the fight.”

“By training Ukrainian soldiers and engineers to leverage metal 3D printing, we’re not only enabling them to print a part—we’re giving them tools to solve critical problems,” says Calum Stewart, director of Defense Programs, EMEA. “This cutting-edge technology allows broken and damaged machinery to be repaired in hours—offering a significant advantage for Ukraine.”

SPEE3D and the Department of Defense emphasized training soldiers to maintain and repair military equipment and salvage machinery. As a result, military personnel will now have the ability to print parts of consequence, large and small, that could otherwise halt an advance or cripple an operation. Deployable metal 3D printers can fabricate damaged parts quickly with SPEE3D’s cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) technology. 

SPEE3D’s CSAM technology uses supersonic deposition to spray heated and compressed air more than two times the speed of sound, according to the company. 

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