Connected Safety Net launches first operational deployment in the United States. Connected Safety Net is proud to announce a major milestone in its international growth journey with the successful launch of its first operational deployment in the United States, in partnership with Deep Manufacturing in Houston, Texas. The launch marks an exciting step forward as organisations continue to embrace digital transformation, operational excellence and smarter safety compliance through Connected Safety Net's Digital Factory platform. Working alongside Deep Manufacturing, Connected Safety Net is supporting innovation across manufacturing operations through intelligent automation, digital inspections, compliance management, audits, risk controls and Connected AI capabilities designed to improve visibility, efficiency and workforce engagement. The team would like to thank Deep Manufacturing for their collaboration, trust and shared vision for operational transformation. This milestone represents an important step in Connected Safety Net's continued international expansion, as the company supports businesses in creating safer, smarter and more connected operations worldwide. Interested in learning more? Discover how Connected Safety Net can transform your organisation's safety and operational processes.

D.E.E.P project completes WAAM 3D printed marine propeller blade section, advancing digitally enabled propulsion systems. A section of a next-generation marine propeller blade has been successfully 3D printed as part of the Digitally Enabled Efficient Propeller (D.E.E.P) project, a seven-month feasibility program exploring additive manufacturing for maritime propulsion. The component was produced using wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) in Nickel Aluminium Bronze (NAB), with the milestone marking progress toward lighter, more efficient, and digitally integrated ship propulsion systems. The project is led by Enki Marine Ltd, a marine engineering company focused on propulsion system integration and commercialization, and brings together partners including DEEP Manufacturing Ltd, Stone Marine Propulsion, TWI, Authentise, ASTM International, and Newcastle University. The consortium spans expertise in design, materials testing, digital workflows, certification, and hydrodynamic validation. WAAM propeller development targets performance and manufacturing constraints The D.E.E.P project is investigating how additive manufacturing can address limitations associated with traditional casting processes for marine propellers. Conventional methods can restrict design flexibility and limit performance gains, particularly in relation to geometry and material distribution. The WAAM-based approach enables structurally and hydrodynamically optimized blade geometries. According to the project team, this can support reduced weight and improved hydrodynamic performance, while also allowing for the integration of digital monitoring capabilities. The propeller blade design is being developed with the potential to incorporate real-time data collection, with the potential to enable vessels to monitor propulsion performance and adjust operational parameters such as engine power and speed. This approach could also support predictive maintenance strategies and autonomous optimization of propulsion systems. Scaling WAAM for large-format maritime components DEEP Manufacturing Ltd, a UK-based specialist in wire arc additive manufacturing and hybrid manufacturing for high-integrity structures, is responsible for manufacturing and production scaling within the project. The company is also expanding its international WAAM capabilities, including recent operations growth in Houston, Texas. According to DEEP Manufacturing, WAAM offers potential lead time reductions of up to two thirds compared to conventional casting processes.The technology also supports more localized production models, which may improve supply chain resilience for large-scale metal components across maritime, energy, and defense sectors. "This is the point where digital ambition becomes physical reality. We are not simply printing a propeller, we are demonstrating a new way of thinking about propulsion design, production and long-term resilience," said Peter Richards, CEO of DEEP Manufacturing Ltd. Next steps toward full-scale validation Following the production of the propeller blade section, the next phase of the D.E.E.P project will focus on scaling the technology to a full-size propeller. This will include planned sea trials and the continued development of an operational optimization platform. The project is also evaluating multiple additive manufacturing approaches, including laser-based directed energy deposition (DED) and powder bed fusion (PBF), alongside WAAM. Simulation, mechanical testing, and lifecycle analysis are being conducted to assess performance, manufacturing efficiency, and potential reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and underwater radiated noise. Backed by funding from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the D.E.E.P project is positioned as a feasibility study supporting the development of digitally enabled shipbuilding and clean maritime technologies. WAAM scales toward industrial deployment in high-integrity sectors Large-format metal additive manufacturing systems based on WAAM are increasingly being used for production of high-integrity components, particularly in sectors such as defense, energy, and subsea engineering. Recent developments include the expansion of DEEP Manufacturing Ltd's large-scale WAAM operations into the United States, where the company established a new facility in Houston to support demand for additively manufactured metal structures. Deployment of WAAM systems in operational environments is also advancing, with AML3D installing its largest ARCEMY platform at a U.S. Navy additive manufacturing center of excellence. The system is intended to produce large-scale, high-performance metal components for defense applications, with the aim of achieving qualification for safety-critical applications. 3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here. Explore the full Future of 3D Printing and Executive Survey series from 3D Printing Industry, featuring perspectives from CEOs, engineers, and industry leaders on the industrialization of additive manufacturing, 3D printing industry trends 2026, qualification, supply chains, and additive manufacturing industry analysis. Featured image shows WAAM 3D printed metal propeller. Image via DEEP Manufacturing.

DEEP Manufacturing expands into Houston with new large-scale WAAM facility. DEEP Manufacturing, a company specializing in Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing and hybrid manufacturing, is expanding its U.S. operations with a 50,000 sq ft facility in Houston, Texas. The new site is intended to bring large-scale metal additive manufacturing closer to customers in the energy, defense, and maritime sectors while increasing domestic capacity for high-integrity components used in critical industrial infrastructure. DEEP Manufacturing said Houston was chosen for its role as a major hub for energy, subsea, and industrial engineering. The facility is scheduled for an official launch on May 6. Visitors will see examples of the company's printing capability, including a mock-up of a pressure-rated vessel set to be certified to DNV standards, which the company describes as a world first for this manufacturing process. Additional components produced in carbon steel and nickel-based alloys will also be displayed. Houston's operation is already running, with first prints completed ahead of full operational readiness in May. The Texas site forms part of a wider $10 million investment in U.S. advanced manufacturing capability planned by the end of 2026. Four robotic systems will be housed at launch, with additional systems planned throughout the year. Post-processing and inspection capabilities are also set to be added as the operation scales. The company currently employs 10 staff in Houston and plans to increase that number to around 30 by the end of the year. Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing uses robotic welding systems to produce large metal components layer by layer. According to the company, the process can produce complex structures faster than traditional forging and casting methods, helping reduce lead times for critical industrial parts. Houston's team mirrors the structure of the company's Bristol facility in the UK, bringing together engineers, technicians, and additive manufacturing specialists to support customers across multiple sectors. Development of the site moved quickly, with the opening brought forward by a year into 2026. The first systems were delivered at the end of 2025, two were operational by January 2026, February was used for training and knowledge transfer from the UK team, and March focused on Inconel 625 deposition trials. April is scheduled for manipulator commissioning alongside ISO 9001 and DNV Approval of Manufacture audits. Peter Richards, CEO of DEEP Manufacturing, said: "Houston represents a major step in scaling industrial additive manufacturing in the United States. By bringing our WAAM capability closer to customers in energy, defence and maritime sectors, we can dramatically reduce lead times for large, high-integrity components while strengthening supply-chain resilience for critical industries." The manufacturer was originally established by parent company DEEP, an ocean engineering and technology company, to produce subsea pressure vessels for human occupancy. Earlier this year, DEEP announced a $100 million investment in a permanent engineering and development hub in Florida, alongside the launch of the Houston facility. WAAM moves closer to regulated production Wire-based metal additive manufacturing is starting to show evidence beyond prototype claims in regulated and operational settings. In one recent defense-sector example, armored vehicle manufacturer Nurol Makina and robotic additive manufacturing company MetalWorm produced an 8.5 kg steel component using WAAM, then machined it to final geometry and subjected it to destructive and non-destructive testing. After that, the part remained installed on an armored vehicle for eight months of field trials without recorded failure or damage. That result does not prove broad substitution across defense manufacturing, but it does show that this process can move into validated use cases where performance, inspection, and qualification matter. Industry expectations for 2026 point to the same constraint: additive manufacturing is being judged less by machine launches and more by repeatability, utilization, inspection, and cost per part. Across the sector, executives increasingly identify defense, aerospace, energy, and other regulated industries as the environments pushing additive manufacturing toward production-ready workflows. Within that shift, wire-based metal processes are gaining attention for large components, distributed production, and shorter supply chains, but only when paired with credible post-processing, quality systems, and qualification pathways. Against that backdrop, DEEP Manufacturing's Houston site is less a standalone expansion than a response to a narrower industrial requirement: producing large metal parts closer to U.S. end markets that demand faster delivery, audit readiness, and certified process control. 3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here. Explore the full Future of 3D Printing and Executive Survey series from 3D Printing Industry, featuring perspectives from CEOs, engineers, and industry leaders on the industrialization of additive manufacturing, 3D printing industry trends 2026, qualification, supply chains, and additive manufacturing industry analysis. Featured image shows DEEP Manufacturing's new 50,000 sq ft Houston facility. Photo via DEEP Manufacturing.