Velo3D: Safety Certification for 3D Metal Printers in the Military Sector

Velo3D, Inc. (NYSE: VLD), a leader in additive manufacturing technology for critical metal parts, recently announced that its Sapphire family of 3D printers was the first to receive the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) green-level Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) certification. This step enables the printers to connect to the DoD’s Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) and assures customers that their metal 3D printers are secured against potential cyberattacks.

The sophisticated qualification was achieved by working with a third-party provider to produce compliance, vulnerability and remediation reports for Sapphire printers against security benchmarks. Testing confirmed that all Velo3D printers, including Sapphire, Sapphire 1MZ, Sapphire XC and Sapphire XC 1MZ, offer the highest levels of network, data and software security and vulnerability management, reducing the risk of security breaches. Velo3D achieved an average test score of 97%, exceeding the 90% threshold required by the DoD for Green-Level STIG compliance.

“Our team at Velo3D strives to go above and beyond to meet our customers’ needs, so when customers that work with the DoD inquired about STIG compliance, we quickly went to work to achieve the highest level of certification available,” said Benny Buller, Velo3D Founder and CEO. “I am proud of our team’s work in achieving this qualification and I am confident this will empower all our customers—but especially those that work with the DoD and other government agencies—to fully leverage the capabilities of our additive manufacturing technology without worrying about the risk of stolen intellectual property.”

In addition to being ready for SIPRNet, Velo3D Sapphire printers can now connect to the DoD’s Unclassified Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNet). STIG compliance is required for DoD agencies and contractors connected to both networks, as well as networks of other federal agencies. Without STIG compliance, government agencies and contractors had to disconnect their metal 3D printers from the network, complicating the management process. STIG compliance also simplifies the purchasing process for defense contractors and agencies by eliminating the need for exemptions and approvals for non-compliant printers.

Velo3D’s STIG compliance is a major advancement in the safety of additive manufacturing. It allows engineers to utilize all aspects of metal 3D printing technology in the production of classified or ITAR-protected parts without the risk of cyber-attack or intellectual property theft. For existing Velo3D customers, a simple software upgrade is possible to achieve STIG Green level security, with minimal impact to the customer.