AML3D reports an order worth around 4.5 million Australian dollars for two custom ARCEMY systems to be deployed at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS). According to the company, installation is planned for the second quarter of 2026. ARCEMY is based on wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) and targets large-format metal components such as those needed in the maritime sector.
The NNS configurations are modeled on the large-scale ARCEMY X, but combine a 10,886-kilogram positioner to enable heavy-part handling and more degrees of freedom during builds. NNS plans to use the systems for various shipbuilding applications.
AML3D CEO Sean Ebert said: “During my recent visit to our US operations it was clear AML3D had a huge opportunity to build on our success supporting the US Navy submarine program and expand into US Navy shipbuilding and munitions as part of US Government’s ‘Make Shipbuilding Great Again’ initiatives. These custom large capacity ARCEMYX systems, are similar in scale to the ARCEMY X that we recently brought online for another US Defense shipbuilding prime contractor. It is pleasing to see demand for our technology across the US and other globally, significant defense markets is continuing to accelerate.
AML3D positions ARCEMY as a production cell with a protective enclosure, multi-axis robot, power source, and process sensing. In WAAM practice, wire-form alloys are deposited layer by layer; process control and post-processing are intended to ensure component-level material properties. The company points to parts that meet or exceed conventional specifications, with lower material usage and less scrap.
In parallel, we are making progress on our strategic goal to access additional non-defense sectors. Our US operations recently delivered a large capacity ARCEMY X to the Tennessee Valley Authority, the largest public utility in the USA. Having an established US manufacturing base means AML3D is advantaged when supporting US customers as the US Government’s tariff policy evolves. AML3D is also well positioned to leverage our US playbook to accelerate our entry into the UK and other European Defense markets and expand our defense and non-defense work in Australia.”
For NNS, WAAM integration is primarily a supply-chain matter: additive cells can cushion bottlenecks in castings and forgings, but qualification remains critical. If commissioning in 2026 proceeds as planned, the project will provide another practical test of how scalable WAAM is in safety-critical shipbuilding and where additive and conventional processes sensibly complement each other.
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