Valiant Products Adds Velo3D and Nikon SLM Systems for Aerospace Metal AM

Valiant Products, a Lakeland, Florida contract manufacturer, has expanded its metal additive manufacturing floor with a Velo3D Sapphire XC calibrated for Inconel 718, plus two Nikon SLM NXG XII 600-series printers. The move is aimed at aerospace and defense customers who need complex, mission-critical metal parts without the constraints of traditional machining or casting.

What the systems do

The Velo3D Sapphire XC uses laser powder bed fusion to produce highly complex geometries in Inconel 718, a nickel-based alloy that handles extreme temperatures and corrosion. Valiant plans to upgrade the machine to the Sapphire XC 1MZ configuration, which can build parts up to one metre tall. The Nikon SLM NXG XII 600E and NXG XII 600 add industrial-scale speed and repeatability for high-volume production runs.

Why aerospace customers care

Inconel 718 is the standard material for rocket engine components, turbine blades, and other high-stress parts. Metal 3D printing these parts cuts weight and improves performance by enabling internal cooling channels and lattice structures that would be impossible to machine. Valiant is ITAR-registered and holds AS9100D and ISO 9001 certifications, which matters for defense supply chains.

The bigger picture

Contract manufacturers are the on-ramp for metal AM adoption. Most aerospace companies do not want to buy and qualify their own printers, especially for low-volume, high-complexity parts. Valiant's setup lets them outsource that risk to a shop that already has the hardware, the material qualification, and the heat treatment and machining capabilities to finish parts.