AML3D: The ASX 3D Printing Stock Transforming Metal Manufacturing

What if the future of Australian steel isn’t forged in fire, but printed by robots?

For over 100 years, steel has powered Australia’s industrial engine, from mining rigs to naval shipyards. But behind its $30 billion footprint lies an outdated truth: traditional manufacturing methods are slow, expensive, and can waste up to 95 per cent of raw materials in the process.

Now, AML3D, a small-cap disruptor based in Adelaide, is rewriting the rules.

Why AML3D’s Smart Welding Tech Is Turning Heads

AML3D (ASX: AL3) makes large, high-strength metal parts using advanced robotic 3D printing instead of traditional methods like casting or machining. Their process, called Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAM), uses a robotic welder to melt metal wire and build parts layer by layer.

It is a faster, more flexible way to produce custom metal components for industries such as aerospace, defence, oil and gas, marine, mining, and general engineering.

This process allows them to create strong, custom parts more efficiently than traditional methods. They have also developed their own software, WAMSoft®, which helps customers customise each print.

The software automatically adjusts how the machine prints based on the type of metal, the size, and the shape of the part being made, making the process smarter and more precise for every project.

A real-world case study for steel manufacturing

In a real-world test, AML3D made a stainless steel propeller that normally needs a huge 462 kg block of metal, just to carve out a final part that weighs 22 kg. Most of that metal is wasted. Using their 3D printing tech, AML3D did the same job with only 50 kg of metal wire, cutting waste by 95 per cent and finishing the job 76 per cent faster. Same part, much less waste, and a lot quicker to make.

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AML partnerships: What do Boeing, Chevron, and the U.S. Navy see in this ASX small cap?

While AML3D’s technology offers clear efficiency gains, its long-term success will likely hinge on something less visible, the strength of its partnerships. In capital-heavy industries like defence and advanced manufacturing, credibility is often earned through collaboration, and AML3D appears to be laying the groundwork.

Blueforge Partnership 

AML has already sold its machinery to support U.S. Navy submarine production, with installations underway at key research and manufacturing hubs in Virginia and Tennessee. This Large capital injection into BlueForge will likely make AML a direct beneficiary. 

Partnership Expansion into the U.K.