Divergent Will Keep Printing Missile Airframes on Nikon SLM Machines Before Switching to Monolith One

Divergent Technologies has no intention of rushing its exit from Nikon SLM Solutions hardware. The contract manufacturer confirmed that its existing fleet of NXG XII 600 metal additive manufacturing systems will continue running production jobs for missile airframes and automotive components before the company fully shifts to its proprietary Monolith One platform.

The timeline is tied to active programs, not a calendar date. CEO Lukas Czinger told TCT Magazine the company is not in a rush to take down the NXG 600s. Current production runs will finish on those machines, after which the systems will be redeployed to support new alloy development.

That work includes partnerships with multiple powder vendors on cost reduction, yield improvement, and particle size distribution. Divergent is also designing its own bespoke aluminum alloy internally, with a patent said to have already been granted.

Monolith One scales in Long Beach

Monolith One, Divergent's 12-laser powder-bed metal system, officially launched earlier this summer. The machine delivers 24kW of laser power across a build volume of 700 x 700 x 835 mm. Six units are already installed at the company's Torrance, California headquarters, and another 64 are scheduled to come online at a new 430,000-square-foot facility in Long Beach over the next two years.

The Long Beach expansion represents an eightfold increase in annual production capacity for customer programs in both defense and commercial sectors. Divergent has raised more than $1 billion over 12 years, including a $290 million Series E in 2025 that valued the company at $2.3 billion.

A controlled handover

Czinger emphasized that the NXG transition will happen in phases. As customer programs move to Monolith One, the older Nikon machines will be repurposed rather than sold immediately. He noted that SLM remains a close ally, and any eventual sale will be handled carefully with the partnership in mind.

For now, the immediate priority is finishing existing commitments without disruption. That means the NXG XII 600 fleet remains essential to Divergent's near-term output, even as the company's future clearly belongs to its own printer architecture.