Beehive Industries Expands Large-Format Metal AM with Nikon SLM NXG 600E Order
Beehive Industries has invested in multiple Nikon SLM NXG 600E metal 3D printers, significantly boosting its ultra-large-format additive manufacturing capabilities within the United States.
Denver-based Beehive Industries has placed a self-funded, multi-unit order for Nikon SLM Solutions' NXG 600E metal 3D printers. This acquisition provides Beehive with a rare capability in the U.S.: ultra-large-format laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) capacity.
The NXG 600E, Nikon SLM Solutions' largest machine, features a substantial 600 x 600 x 1500 mm build volume and is equipped with twelve 1 kW lasers. This configuration is designed for high-throughput serial production of large metal components.
Beehive plans to utilize one NXG 600E for printing Constellium's Aheadd CP1 aluminum and another for Titanium Ti 64 (Ti-6Al-4V). These alloys are commonly used in defense, space, and aerospace applications. The machines will enable the production of entire vehicle bodies, large satellite substructures, and other oversized parts in a single build process.
Darius Ehteshami, Chief Operations and Finance Officer at Beehive Industries, stated that the investment positions the company to provide advanced aerostructures and parts, supporting customers in the aerospace and defense sectors as well as space exploration. This move represents a continuation of Beehive's commitment to large-format additive manufacturing.
Nikon views this order as a strategic step in equipping defense manufacturers with scalable production technology. Hamid Zarringhalam, CEO and General Manager of Nikon Advanced Manufacturing, highlighted Beehive's role in advanced propulsion and aerospace manufacturing and expressed pride in supporting their growth with the NXG 600E platform. Both companies are focused on scaling the defense industrial base with crucial advanced manufacturing capabilities for the United States and its allies.
These new systems integrate into Beehive's vertically integrated model, which encompasses engineering, additive production, and testing. This allows for domestic serial production of mission-critical hardware for space and defense customers. External clients can also book production time on these machines.
This development signifies a major enhancement in U.S. domestic ultra-large-format metal additive manufacturing capacity, particularly for aerospace and defense. By acquiring multiple high-throughput NXG 600E systems, Beehive Industries is addressing a critical bottleneck for producing large, complex metal components, crucial for applications ranging from satellite structures to vehicle bodies, and supporting the growing demand for advanced defense hardware.
Edited by the news editor with AI from the original report — please refer to the original source.