None Critical Spare Parts for the Defence Industry

Defence is a practical material choice when you need the right balance of performance, finish, and cost for functional parts.

THE IMPACT OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING

Additive Manufacturing, or 3D Printing as it is sometimes called, is a significant technology innovation whose roots go back to 1986. Its importance stems from its ability to eliminate existing performance trade-offs in two fundamental ways. First, 3D Printing reduces the capital required to achieve economies of scale. Second, it increases flexibility and reduces the capital required to achieve scope.

The potential implications of these two factors are far-reaching and game-changing. For example, consider the impact on the traditional manufacturing model. In the past, economies of scale have been the primary driver of profitability and competitiveness in manufacturing. The larger the scale of production, the lower the unit costs and the greater the profits.

However, with 3D Printing, the scale of production is no longer a limiting factor. A company can produce as many or as few units as it needs, without incurring the high fixed costs associated with traditional manufacturing. This opens up new opportunities for small and medium-sized companies to compete in the marketplace.

In addition, the flexibility of 3D Printing means that companies can rapidly change their product designs to meet the needs of their customers. This is a significant advantage over traditional manufacturing, which is often inflexible and slow to react to changes in the marketplace.

The implications of Additive Manufacturing are far-reaching and will have a profound impact on the economy and society. It is a game-changing technology that is revolutionising the way we make things. All around the world, there are people in need of protection. They may be in the military, law enforcement, or just everyday citizens. Regardless of who they are, they all need reliable products that will help keep them safe.

The challenge for those who design and manufacture these products is to create something that is tough enough to withstand the harshest environments, yet still accurate enough to provide the user with the best possible fit and function.

In the past, this meant prototyping each new design by hand, a time-consuming and expensive process. But thanks to 3D printing, those days are long gone.

Now, any modification can be made to a 3D model in a matter of minutes, and then the item can be reprinted. This allows for quick and easy testing of different designs, to find the one that works best.

3D printing has revolutionized the process of creating defence products, and has helped to make the world a safer place in the process.

Defence Industry

The future of warfare is being created in laboratories and manufacturing facilities around the world. New materials and cutting-edge technology are being used to create weapons and vehicles that are more advanced than anything that has come before.

One of the most important innovations in this area is 3D printing. This new technology gives government, military and defence manufacturers the freedom to design a single end-use part, quickly create low-volume tooling, or build complex, precise prototypes.

For ultra-detailed prototypes with smooth surfaces and flexible materials, digital materials such as SLA 3D technology can be used. This gives engineers greater freedom to create prototypes that accurately represent the final product.

3D printing projects for engineers are also being used to create smaller, lighter and more comfortable personal protective equipment for soldiers. This includes items such as helmets, body armour and footwear.

In the future, it is likely that 3D printing will be used to create entire vehicles and even buildings. This technology has the potential to revolutionise warfare and change the way we live and work.

Defence Manufacturing Without the Lead Times

In the defence sector, reliability is non-negotiable. Components are expected to perform consistently under stress, in challenging environments, and often within systems where failure is simply not an option. At Mitchell & Son Additive Manufacturing, we support defence contractors, maintenance teams, and specialist engineers by producing precision 3D-printed components that solve real operational problems quickly and cost-effectively.

One of the biggest challenges across defence supply chains is obsolescence. Legacy platforms frequently rely on parts that are no longer manufactured, unavailable from original suppliers, or tied to tooling that no longer exists. Traditional solutions, such as re-tooling for injection moulding or CNC machining, can be prohibitively expensive and slow—particularly when only small quantities are required. This is where additive manufacturing offers a decisive advantage.

Using advanced CAD modelling and engineering-grade materials, we can reverse-engineer components from samples, technical drawings, or physical references. Once modelled, parts can be redesigned where necessary to improve strength, durability, or material performance, while maintaining functional compatibility with existing assemblies. This approach allows us to deliver replacement or upgraded components in days rather than months.

Material selection is critical in defence applications. Depending on the use case, we manufacture parts using robust plastics such as ABS, PETG, and other specialist filaments chosen for their mechanical strength, impact resistance, and environmental stability. Where components are subject to repeated movement, load, or handling, we adjust infill density and print orientation to maximise structural integrity, ensuring the final part performs as intended.

Quality control is embedded throughout our process. Each component is produced with consistency, dimensional accuracy, and repeatability in mind. Where required, we also provide post-processing services including sanding, surface finishing, resin reinforcement, and priming, enabling parts to meet both functional and aesthetic requirements.

Above all, we understand discretion. Defence-related projects demand professionalism, confidentiality, and trust. We work closely with our clients to ensure sensitive information, designs, and applications are handled responsibly. Whether the requirement is a single urgent replacement part or a short production run, our focus remains the same: delivering dependable components that keep critical systems operational.

Practical Additive Manufacturing for Defence Applications

Defence engineering is often defined by constraints—tight tolerances, limited documentation, ageing platforms, and urgent timelines. Mitchell & Son Additive Manufacturing exists to operate effectively within those constraints, using additive manufacturing as a practical tool rather than a theoretical solution.

Our defence work commonly begins with a problem: a broken component, an unavailable spare, or a design that no longer suits modern operational demands. Rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all manufacturing route, we assess how the part is used, what forces it is subjected to, and the environment it operates in. This informs every decision that follows, from CAD design through to material selection and print configuration.

Unlike mass manufacturing, 3D printing allows strength to be engineered directly into the part. By increasing infill density, adjusting wall thickness, and optimising layer orientation, we can produce components capable of withstanding repeated mechanical stress. For parts exposed to handling, vibration, or movement, this approach provides durability without unnecessary weight or cost.

Cost efficiency is another key benefit. Traditional tooling can require significant upfront investment, often running into thousands of pounds before a single usable part is produced. Additive manufacturing removes this barrier. Components can be manufactured on demand, in low volumes, without the financial risk associated with tooling or long production runs. This makes it particularly suitable for maintenance, repair, and life-extension programmes.

We also recognise that defence projects rarely stop at “good enough.” Where required, we provide post-processing options that enhance surface finish, improve wear resistance, or add additional structural reinforcement. These steps are applied selectively, ensuring clients only pay for processes that deliver real value to the application.

Our role is not simply to print parts, but to help clients resolve engineering challenges efficiently and responsibly. By combining hands-on manufacturing experience with practical design insight, we provide defence customers with a flexible, dependable manufacturing partner—capable of responding quickly when conventional supply chains cannot.

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