A milestone moment for Fastech, Meltio and the future of defence manufacturing

At the heart of Danville, Virginia, now emerging as a key centre for additive manufacturing and advanced defence production, industry leaders, innovators and government representatives gathered for ‘Ready For Action: Accelerating Readiness, Sustaining the Future’, hosted at Fastech’s state-of-the-art facility. The event brought together voices from across the defence, manufacturing and research communities to explore how additive manufacturing is reshaping readiness and sustainment for the defence sector and beyond.

The occasion also marked a historic milestone: Fastech has become Meltio’s first official reference site in the United States, underscoring the company’s role in advancing laser-wire directed energy deposition (DED) technology for industrial and defence applications. This partnership, supported by Meltio, reflects a shared commitment to transforming how critical components are produced, repaired and sustained across the defense supply chain.

Setting the stage for readiness and sustainment

The event welcomed 97 in-person attendees, bringing together a diverse group of leaders and experts from the Department of Defense, prominent manufacturing companies, universities and regional economic organisations. The atmosphere was one of collaboration and forward thinking, as participants shared insights on advancing readiness, sustainability and innovation within the defence and industrial sectors.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) played a pivotal role in hosting and supporting the event, providing a dynamic environment that fostered meaningful dialogue and partnership. The gathering further reinforced Danville’s reputation as a national hub for innovation, technology and workforce development in advanced manufacturing, highlighting the region’s growing influence in shaping the future of American industry.

As Alan Pearce, CEO at Fastech, emphasised during his talk: “Readiness and sustainment are more than industry goals. They’re national imperatives. Partnerships like this one show how regional collaboration can have a global impact.”

Thought leaders and industry experts

The Ready For Action programme brought together an exceptional line up of speakers representing the defence, energy, research and manufacturing sectors. Presentations featured: Matthew Sermon, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for R&D and Acquisition; Michael Pecota, Additive Manufacturing SME for the Department of Defense; Telly Tucker, President of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR); Andrew Medla, Head of Additive Manufacturing for the Americas at Siemens Energy; Chris Beeson, Additive Manufacturing Lead at ExxonMobil; and Giorgio Olivieri, Head of Applications Engineering at Meltio.

Each presentation offered a unique perspective on the role of additive manufacturing in strengthening industrial capability and defence readiness. Sermon and Pecota highlighted the Navy and DoD’s ongoing focus on accelerating readiness through advanced production technologies. Tucker underscored the importance of collaboration between industry and research to drive workforce innovation, while Medla and Beeson explored how the private sector is integrating DED systems into high-demand production environments. Olivieri presented Meltio’s global vision for wire-laser metal deposition and its growing relevance to both defence and commercial manufacturing ecosystems.

The day’s panel discussion, ‘Adoption of Wire DED’, brought together a distinguished group of experts, including Steven Floyd from Floyd Technology Consulting LLC, Scott Kasen from Austal USA, Sam Evans from Virginia Tech, Tyler Dolmetsch from Florida International University and Yash Bandari from Fastech as host. Together, they explored the technical, logistical and cultural shifts required for broader adoption of additive manufacturing across the defence and energy sectors. Audience engagement remained high throughout the session, with attendees actively participating in Q&A discussions and expressing strong interest in follow-up collaborations.

Demonstrating the future in real time

One of the day’s major highlights was the series of live demonstrations that showcased Meltio’s cutting-edge M600 and Robot Cell Blue Laser systems operating in real time. Supported by Meltio’s on-site engineering team, these demonstrations offered guests an up-close look at how laser-wire DED technology is transforming metal manufacturing, from complex defence applications to aerospace components.

The first demonstration, performed on the Meltio M600, featured the production of an artillery shell, a clear example of how multi-material additive manufacturing can be applied to defence readiness and sustainment. The part measured 161 x 161 x 606 mm, with a total weight of 7.80 kg, built using SS-316LSi combined with Marine Bronze. The process ran under argon shielding gas at a flow rate of 15 l/min, with a layer height of 1 mm, achieving a total print time of 22 hours, 47 minutes and 33 seconds. This live build demonstrated the precision and repeatability of the M600 platform in producing high-strength, corrosion-resistant components with complex geometries.

The second demonstration highlighted the capabilities of the Meltio Robot Cell Blue Laser system, where attendees watched the creation of a jet engine exhaust component designed for aerospace use. This large-scale part measured R167 x 355 mm and weighed 11.91 kg, printed in SS-316LSi with a variable deposition layer height averaging 0.6 mm at the base. The process also utilised argon gas at 10 l/min and required a total print time of 38 hours and 50 minutes. The robot cell’s flexibility and precise laser control illustrated how DED can enable the production and repair of complex, high-performance metal parts vital for sustainment and repair operations in defence and aviation.

Throughout both demonstrations, the Fastech engineering team guided attendees using wireless headsets, ensuring everyone could follow the commentary and understand each phase of the process. Guests observed first-hand the power of additive manufacturing to reduce material waste, shorten lead times, and enhance resilience across supply chains, which are key elements of achieving true readiness and sustainment.

A step forward for Danville and the defence ecosystem

The success of Ready For Action also highlights Danville’s growing leadership in additive manufacturing for the defence sector. The city’s investment in innovation, through initiatives like IALR, is positioning southern Virginia as a cornerstone for advanced production, education and research in critical technologies. The event’s emphasis on readiness and sustainment resonates deeply within this ecosystem, bringing defence, academia and industry together under a shared vision of innovation-driven resilience.

As the first Meltio Reference Site in the US, Fastech stands at the forefront of this transformation, offering a model for how regional manufacturing excellence can support national defence objectives. The collaboration between Fastech and Meltio demonstrates what’s possible when technological innovation meets strategic partnership.