AMPulse Asia · Fortnight 17: AM Solutions earns Korean Register's first laser wire-DED process certificate for marine repair

AM Solutions securing the first Korean Register process certificate for laser wire-DED repair establishes a regulatory qualification milestone that may lower the barrier for DED adoption in maritime and defense MRO. This formal policy step, paired with BLT co-drafting a national L-DED standard that took force August 1, 2026, suggests that standards bodies are actively redefining the qualification stack for metal additive processes. Together, these events indicate that pure-play hardware OEMs could face higher compliance costs unless they align early with domestic certification frameworks.

AM Solutions earns Korean Register's first laser wire-DED process certificate for marine repair

This is the first KR process certificate specifically for laser wire-DED repair in Korea, a regulatory precondition that unlocks broader DED adoption in maritime and defense MRO.

AM Solutions earned Korean Register’s first laser wire-DED process certificate, a regulatory precondition that extends classed metal AM from new-part production into structural repair and MRO for the Korean maritime and defense sectors. The certificate, granted in late July, covers both LW-DED new-part production and repair of metal components, and was issued to the Daejeon-based company’s robot-integrated DED system, according to reporting from Marine Link and Ship Management International. The certification moves AM Solutions beyond prototype or pilot repair work toward qualified repair workflows, a step that Korean Register had previously reserved for new-part manufacturing.

AM Solutions: Korean Register certifies AM Solutions' LW-DED process for marine metal repair and new-part production

The certificate arrives at a point where AM Solutions has been building a defense- and energy-focused customer base. The company has deployed DED systems with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which included a maintenance training deployment in April 2026, and partnered with Doosan Enerbility in May 2024 for gas turbine MRO support. The company listed its first external equity investment from LinkSolution in January 2026. The KR process certificate is the first of its kind for laser wire-DED repair in Korea, a distinction that sets a qualification precedent for competitors such as InssTek and Meltro operating in the same maritime repair space.

In the same fortnight, the broader Korean AM sector continued to show a regulatory-first pattern. T&R Biofab received FDA 510(k) clearance for a biodegradable cranial implant, while Chinese aerospace metal-AM vendors, including Deep Blue Aerospace and Bright Laser Technologies, reported production scale-ups. The AM Solutions certification is distinct in that it targets repair rather than new-part production, a category where classification societies have been slower to extend approval. Korean Register’s decision provides a reference case for other class societies evaluating DED-based repair workflows.

The practical impact depends on whether shipyards and defense depots adopt the certified process. AM Solutions’ system is designed for on-site deployment with remote monitoring, which suits maintenance environments where parts cannot be removed for off-site fabrication. The certificate supplies the formal approval layer that procurement and maintenance organizations require, but it does not by itself guarantee fleet-level adoption. The company’s near-term challenge is converting a first-of-kind certificate into repeatable repair contracts with the shipbuilders and defense MRO programs it has been courting.

Notable Developments

Hyundai & Kia - Hyundai & Kia opened the Additive Manufacturing Solution Center at Namyang, consolidating six polymer and metal AM processes (including six-laser PBF and DED-WAAM) for tooling, spare parts, prototyping, and legacy components. The facility pairs multi-process capability with an in-house mechanical test cell, but does not disclose named serial production parts.
T&R Biofab - T&R Biofab secured FDA 510(k) clearance for the TnR CI, a 3D-printed PCL/beta-TCP biodegradable cranial implant, and is now seeking US distribution partners. The clearance is a named regulatory market-access milestone; downstream distribution and hospital adoption remain the binding constraints.
BLT - BLT co-drafted China's L-DED titanium alloy parts national standard, which took force August 1, 2026 alongside five other metal AM standards. The standard locks process/material/NDT language into the domestic acceptance stack, strengthening BLT's position in China's metal DED market.
BLT - BLT plans a 151M yuan procurement framework with investee 正时精控 for scanning galvanometers, a 255% increase, marking a supply-chain shift toward domestic sourcing of a critical metal AM component. This deepens the Chinese localization arc in AM hardware.
Deep Blue Aerospace - Deep Blue Aerospace installed 12 large-format metal 3D printers at its Tai'an facility for serial production of reusable rocket engine components, targeting 100 engines per year. This is a concrete example of Chinese private-launch capability building on metal AM with machine count disclosed.
Shaanxi Zhituo - Shaanxi Zhituo topped out a RMB 475M solid-state AM plant in Xi'an for 2027 production and closed a RMB 200M equity round with national and local industrial funds. The investment signals strong Chinese capacity expansion but lacks qualified output or named customers.
Torishima - Torishima cut cast pump impeller lead time from 6 months to 1.5–2 months using a DMG Mori hybrid metal AM process, with completed field operation at a Hyogo drainage station. The one-piece SUS316L impellers eliminate dissimilar-metal joints and showed lower corrosion mass loss in salt-water testing.
Huaxiang Medical - Huaxiang Medical completed its first overseas implant of a 3D-printed porous hip joint filler block in a 26-year-old Pakistani patient with a bone tumor. This is a first-of-kind export milestone but remains a single-patient case with no disclosed distributor or regulatory pathway.
TDM - TDM obtained formal GMP conformity certification for patient-specific 3D-printed orthopedic implants, upgrading its previous self-certified status, and plans to commercialize cheekbone implants with expansion into skull implants and spinal uses. This is a regulatory milestone within Korea, though distribution and clinical adoption remain early.
Jiangsu Vilory - Jiangsu Vilory's Ti6Al4V-R titanium powder earned SCS Global Services certification for 100% recycled content, valid through July 2027, aimed at European aerospace and medtech buyers. This is a materials-governance credential that extends the Chinese localization arc into provenance territory.

By Country

🇰🇷 Korea

VF Space - VF Space commercialized WLAM metal 3D printers, holding four patents and KARI family status, with 1.2-ton GAIA I capability in Korea.
Hyundai and Kia - Hyundai and Kia opened an Additive Manufacturing Solution Center at Namyang, consolidating six polymer and metal AM processes under one roof.
Hyundai Motor Group Additive Manufacturing Solution Center - Hyundai Motor Group opened AMSC in Hwaseong, featuring four AM process families from DLP/SLA to metal PBF and DED-WAAM, with an in-house quality inspection cell.
Lincsolution - Lincsolution joined a KRW 3.4bn consortium with LG Electronics and Michigan State University to validate metal AM production for R290 heat pump components over three years.
Hyundai AMSC - Hyundai AMSC opens first dedicated AM R&D and production hub at Namyang, spanning polymer and metal processes
KJTech - KJ Tech advances patented 3D-printed SiC focus-ring process to cut 70-80% material loss
Markforged - Markforged Korea presents continuous fiber 3D printing for aerospace and defense applications
DSolutions - DSolutions signed an MOU with JEI University to develop AM workforce training, leveraging display and IoT expertise in Incheon.

🇨🇳 China

Chinese metal 3D printing startup Dewu Technology - Chinese metal 3D printing startup Dewu Technology closes Pre-Series-A round led by GSR United Capital and Jintou Zhiyuan
HeyGears - HeyGears' G1 Series Kickstarter surpassed $10M pledges, with backers questioning printhead lifespan, warranty terms, and ink costs.
Dewu Technology - Dewu Technology raised tens of millions RMB in Pre-A funding, founded 2024 in Suzhou, to scale micron-precision SLM equipment and services for electronics, medical, and aerospace.
Bambu Lab - Bambu Lab makes first external investment, backing laser startup Yineng Zhiguang's seed and angel rounds
ZCZH - ZCZH integrates Xaar Nitrox printheads into industrial wax-jetting 3D printing systems
Huashu - Huashu installed Farsoon's first Flight HT601P in South China, enabling nylon parts over 500 mm without split-and-bond assembly.
Kocel - Kocel scaled casting-sand 3D printing 21x to 1,500 L/h, converting two Chinese foundries entirely to sand-mold binder jetting in 2025.

🇯🇵 Japan

Southeast Asia

CraftHealth (SG) - Craft Health's CraftMake Platform Runs Peptide-Dosing Test With PharmaTher Ahead of FDA 503A Bulks List Decision

Compiled from 28 sources · fortnight covers 2026-07-31 – 2026-08-14.