In 3D Printing News Briefs this weekend, 6K Additive has appointed a new COO and released its Q1 financials. Rolls-Royce opened a new AM Development Cell, and MODIX launched its new large-format 3D printer. Finally, Meltio is collaborating on a project to develop sustainable steels for AM.
6K Additive Announces Q1 26 Activities Report & New COO
Brandon Davis, 6K Additive’s Newly Appointed Chief Operating Officer
U.S. company 6K Additive (ASX: 6KA), a manufacturer and supplier of high-performance metal powder for additive manufacturing (AM), recently released its quarterly activities report for the first quarter of 2026, which ended March 31st. The company ended Q1 with a net cash balance of $26 million, with quarterly net sales of $6.2 million, which is an 88% increase from the same period last year. Revenue for the quarter was $4 million: a 100% increase from Q1 2025. As CEO Frank Roberts said in the earnings call, 6K Additive also had a 46% increase in powder order intake. Speaking of its powder products, the company entered into several strategic relationships in Q1, including with Siemens Energy. A lot of exciting things have happened for 6K Additive recently, like receiving a $1.95 million SBIR Phase II award from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), breaking ground on its powder expansion construction in Pennsylvania, and a visit from Congressman Guy Reschenthaler. You can read more about these announcements, and others, in my RAPID interview with 6K Additive.
Additionally, the company announced the appointment of manufacturing veteran Brandon Davis as its Chief Operating Officer (COO). Davis has over two decades of experience; most recently, he served as Vice President of the Components Division at Dexter Axle Corporation, where he held full P&L responsibility for a $500 million operation and helped increase EBITDA over 20%. Previously, he was President & CEO of EVRAZ Stratcor, and is also a veteran of the United States Army, serving as a Military Police Officer. At 6K Additive, he will oversee global operations, including metal powder production and alloy additions. He will manage all of the company’s facilities, from its Pennsylvania headquarters to sites in West Virginia and California, and his focus, as he said in a press release, “will be on streamlining our manufacturing campuses into high-margin, safety-first organizations while accelerating our automation journey to meet the increasing demands of the aerospace, defense, medical, and energy sectors.”
Rolls-Royce Opens AM Development Cell in Bristol for Aircraft Engine Parts
Recently, Rolls-Royce opened a new AM Development Cell at its Defence Assembly and Operations facility in Bristol, UK, thanks to funding from the UK Ministry of Defence. The cell uses metal AM to fabricate complex, critical components for aircraft engines, and is located in a custom-built, carefully controlled 350 m2 space, with optimized air pressure, humidity, and temperature to ensure consistent print quality. To use the cell, engineers must be specially trained, so this will also help create and sustain jobs at the Bristol hub, which is home to the UK’s military combat and transport aerospace power and propulsion sectors. The 3D printed parts will be important in speeding up innovation, knowledge, and skills across the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), as well as any future combat power and propulsion needs across Rolls-Roys and Ministry of Defence applications.
“This new facility in Bristol is a clear sign of UK industry investing in the skills and technology we need to stay ahead. By using the latest manufacturing techniques to build lighter, more efficient components, Rolls-Royce is helping to keep British engineers at the forefront of innovation – all the while creating and sustaining skilled jobs right here in Bristol,” said Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, who attended the unveiling.
Modix Announces Launch of New MAMA-1000 Large-Format 3D Printer
Modix Modular Technologies, which designs and manufactures large-format 3D printers for both filament and pellet extrusion, has announced the latest in its MAMA series. The new MAMA-1000 3D printer joins the MAMA-1700 and XL3000, but as a more compact addition to the line, though it’s not small by any means. The system features a 1,000 x 1,000 x 1,000 mm build volume, expanding access for industrial users to Modix’s advanced 3D printing. Just like the other printers in the line, the MAMA-1000 has interchangeable filament and pellet print heads for extra flexibility. Pellet printing has a higher throughput and lower material cost per kilogram, while filament is better for tight tolerances and finer details. All told, the new MAMA-1000 should work well for functional prototyping, tooling, end-use parts, molds, and large-format production. It also offers a range of optional add-ons and accessories, like pellet drying and mixing, dual-head configuration, and air filtration.
“The MAMA-1000 is an important expansion of our MAMA family. Not every customer needs the full size of the MAMA-1700, but many still want the unique flexibility of combining pellet and filament extrusion in one professional system. The MAMA-1000 answers that need by offering a more compact format without compromising on versatility,” said Shachar Gafni, CEO of Modix.
Meltio Helps with SUMMSEED Project to Develop Sustainable Steels for AM
Companies in the mining and heavy machinery sectors want a more environmentally sustainable steel that meets industrial quality and cost requirements, and offers properties similar to those of current materials. A European project called SUMMSEED (SUstainable Medium Manganese StEEls for cost-efficient applications in heavy inDustries), funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS), is focused on developing more sustainable medium-Mn steels (MMns). It’s a collaboration between academic and technological partners with steel sector companies, led by Technical University of Catalonia · BarcelonaTech (UPC). The idea is to create a steel that’s tailored to industrial casting conditions, but can be manufacturing using laser-wire AM, specifically DED. The project’s scientific partners will validate and certify the properties of the new steel, which will be manufactured by SANDVIK with Meltio‘s metal AM technology. Other participants include TU Delft, SIDENOR, CIM UPC, and TU Bergakademie Freiberg.
“It is expected that this novel material will render an improved service performance than the currently used Hadfield steels enabling a more sustainable production by reducing alloying elements and the reuse of end-of-life parts,” said Pere Barriobero Vila, coordinator of the SUMMSEED project at UPC in Barcelona. “By tailoring alloys for both casting and directed energy deposition (DED) remanufacturing, the project aims to replace traditional Hadfield steels with leaner, more cost-efficient grades that offer high strength, toughness and wear resistance while reducing CO₂ emissions and the use of critical raw material. From casting to DED repair, the project enables a complete circular process that extends component lifespan and minimizes material waste and environmental impact.”