Markforged is combing innovation culture with real manufacturing capabilities to make an impact on Australia’s Defence industry. Manufacturers’ Monthly speaks with one of the company’s partners to learn why additive manufacturing is being adopted by defence on land and sea.
Nick Owen has been an Army Defence Reservist for 20 years. It’s what pushed him in the direction to start Secure Bits, a completely veteran-owned, Australian business that helps Defence via its two divisions: critical infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.
Critical Infrastructure Division was born to fill a need firstly in the critical power space – within secure facilities, data centres, airports, seaports etc. – because traditional contractors didn’t understand technology, and those supplying the technology didn’t understand the engineering.
The advanced manufacturing division of the business was born in a similar vein.
“We were typically unable to find contractors that could build what we needed, either in a secure way, a timely way, or both,” Owen said.
“We built an advanced manufacturing division for internal use, to secure an in-house capability to build things. It basically means we can build things that are secret, we have staff with clearance (up to Top Secret) and have the facility and manufacturing processes which are secret.”
Secure Bits acts as a ‘one stop shop’ for defence projects, sitting across composites, metals and rapid prototyping, but also CNC machining, sheet metal, plastics and electronics all in-house.
With its secure facility, it is able to build from start to finish rather than just a case or just the electronics, meaning an idea enters and leaves as a finished product. Owen explained that additive manufacturing has been on the rise in Defence across the world over the last few years.
“Defence innovation has been heavily adopted in recent years,” he said.
“There’s a number of bases around Australia now with additive manufacturing, available to soldiers to innovate and solve problems. At a higher level, defence is adopting additive manufacturing or testing out additive manufacturing in deployable and strategic capabilities, and we are part of that.”
Part of this journey, in a big way, is Markforged. Earlier this year, the company launched its biggest, most capable printer yet – the FX20 – which brings its software platform Digital Forge and Continuous Fibre Reinforcement designed for high-strength end-use parts in aerospace and defence.
In Australia, Sydney’s Garden Island Naval base has both composite and metal Markforged printers. Supporting local business is a pillar of Markforged’s recent growth in Australia, such as its work with Australia’s
homeland security specialist XTEK with the development of composite curing techniques.
Thanks to Markforged printers, XTEK has been able to “bridge the gap” between its Adelaide research and manufacturing facility and prototypes made at its Canberra office.
Owen explained how Markforged has helped Secure Bits branch out to reach more customers.
“We are primarily orientated to Defence, Government and the intelligence community,” he explained.
“We’re used to everything being word of mouth and people coming to us because we’re the only ones that do it. Markforged have been essential in that lead generation and helping industry find us.”
On top of this, Markforged works with Secure Bits’ manufacturing division, providing 3D printers for special projects. Markforged has prioritised security from its beginning, bringing comprehensive data security to additive manufacturing by keeping data safe across its Digital Forge platform and enabling on premise slicing.
“Markforged understand our world,” Owen said. “Things like the on-prem tools, for a while were removed from the market and we had to really push to get support in doing that in a secure way, which Markforged understood and worked with us to continue delivery.”
Markforged has more than 10,000 connected printers globally. All these systems, including both composites and metal solutions, are connected through the company’s Digital Forge, a digital manufacturing workflow composed of software, printers, and materials working seamlessly on a unified platform.
The system is purpose-built to integrate into an existing manufacturing ecosystem, eliminating barriers between design and functionality and helping to generate and analyse data about real usage. It gives Secure Bits the ability to use Markforged printers on premise without any security concerns.
The software is critical, but the quality of parts produced by Markforged printers is where the company continues to make its name. With Secure Bits, Markforged printers are being used for demonstrating a simulation system for Air Force, for instance. Additive manufacturing is important to this particular project because speed is key in order to make the simulator as lifelike as possible.
As for the future, Owen sees additive manufacturing playing a bigger part in Defence for both strategic and deployable environments.
“The speed that they can solve problems, but also the speed to fabricate replacement parts or battle worthy replacement parts (short term replacements while they wait for the typical industrial answer), that’s the direction it’s pushing,” he said.
“And the same is happening at sea. The US has additive devices on both surface and subsurface and I hope to help Australia follow in those footsteps.”
The US is heavily adopting 3D composite and metal printers on forces vessels to create spare parts on demand, as part of US Navy Command’s NAVSEA plan to transform digital capacity. In late 2022, the first 3D metal printer was permanently installed on the US Navy warship, the USS Essex: an aluminium- printing Xerox ElemX.
Markforged is playing a role in this shift of focus from the US to help sailors think outside the box. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has installed Markforged additive manufacturing equipment aboard nine surface ships, including three aircraft carriers, and aboard four submarines.
Enabling crews to creatively and quickly repair items enhancing their self-sustainment abilities, sailors can manufacture components, perform maintenance, and develop quality of life products with ease, without the need for extensive training or equipment.
Markforged says it was selected after extensive testing due to their ability to remain reliable and identified to address a variety of needs, including standard or preventative maintenance, temporary replacements, quality of life products, drill props, tools, and fixturing.
A Markforged X7 field printer – a polymer-based additive manufacturing system capable of printing high-durability carbon fiber reinforced nylon – was installed on USS New Hampshire in July 2022, and has received tremendous reviews.
Capt. Bennett Christman, the commanding officer of USS New Hampshire, said 3D printers provide the opportunity for creative problem solving.
“These devices lower the barrier for component manufacturing, empowering sailors to take ownership of their repairs, and to think outside the box,” he explained.
“Ingenuity and creative problem solving are core to our history as a submarine force. Fostering these values will pay dividends in the way Sailors approach all aspects of their jobs.”
The Markforged X7 3D printer was chosen due to its ability to remain reliable in a simulated shipboard environment. It is a product of the NAVSEA Additive Manufacturing Research and Development Program (NAVSEA 05T) with support from Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Philadelphia, NSWC Carderock, and Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport.
“This system can be used to produce most of the currently approved Technical Data Packages that are available for
Sailors on the Joint Technical Data Integration site,” said NAVSEA Additive Manufacturing Assistant Program manager Lewis Shattuck.
“These parts have been identified by NAVSEA engineers and the fleet to address a variety of needs including standard or preventative maintenance, temporary replacements, quality of life products, drill props, tools and fixturing.”
Behind all of this innovation and technology in Defence, however, is often a passion to serve and protect one’s country. I gauged this passion for work and country when speaking with Nick Owen from Secure Bits.
“Australia, sovereign manufacturing, sovereign capability and Defence are all things we are passionate about,” he said.
“With almost 50 per cent of our team being veterans, it’s well ingrained that we are those sorts of people – we believe in what we do and who we do it for. We are a little selective with customers, we want to work with people who are passionate about an end goal rather than just making widgets.”
