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Big Metal Additive

ServiceDenver, CO, USAFounded 2016· One of 1986 Service companies tracked by AMPulse

Provides large-scale metal hybrid additive manufacturing services combining wire-fed arc-based DED with 5-axis CNC machining for aerospace, defense, and industrial parts up to 12 ft x 12 ft.

CEO / Founder
Slade Gardner
Team Size
11-50
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$7.7M
Latest Round
Grant
Key Investors
Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade; Department of Defense (USAF); Department of Defense (Navy)

Technology & Products

Key Products

2xxx aluminum products, Unitized Monolithic Rotating Detonation Engine, Optimized Additive Manufactured Aircraft Structure, Point of Need UxV Manufacturing.

Technological Advantage

Proprietary hybrid manufacturing system deposits and machines each layer for dimensional accuracy and surface finish, certified to AS9100 and NASA-STD-6033 standards for aerospace applications.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Reduces lead times for large metal parts from months to weeks, enables on-demand production of complex geometries, and eliminates tooling costs for prototypes and low-volume production.

How They Differentiate

Focuses exclusively on large-scale hybrid AM services (not equipment sales) with 3x larger build volume than typical DED systems and integrated 5-axis CNC for in-situ machining.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Aerospace, defense, maritime, energy, and heavy equipment OEMs requiring large, complex metal components

Industry Verticals

Aerospace; Defense; Maritime; Energy; Heavy Equipment; Space

Competitors

3D Systems, Stratasys, GE Additive, EOS GmbH, Materialise, Desktop Metal, Formlabs, SLM Solutions.

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Achieved AS9100 certification and NASA-STD-6033 qualification; 14 employees reported.

Major Milestones

Founded in 2016; Joined ADAPT consortium in 2017; Achieved AS9100 certification; Partnership with BAE Systems; NASA-STD-6033 qualification

Notable Customers

Department of Defense (USAF), Department of Defense (Navy), NASA.

https://bigmetaladditive.com

Why this company matters

Big Metal Additive occupies a narrow but defensible niche in metal additive manufacturing: large-scale hybrid services that combine wire-fed arc-based directed energy deposition (DED) with 5-axis CNC machining on a single platform. The company does not sell equipment; it operates as a service bureau focused on parts up to 12 ft x 12 ft, a build volume roughly three times larger than typical DED systems. This positioning targets customers who need to replace forged or cast components with additively manufactured alternatives without sacrificing dimensional accuracy or surface finish.

The core process deposits metal layer by layer using wire-fed arc (WAAM/DED) and machines each layer in situ, eliminating the need for secondary post-processing setups. The company works primarily with 2xxx series aluminum alloys and has demonstrated applications including a unitized monolithic rotating detonation engine and optimized aircraft structures. Certification to AS9100 and NASA-STD-6033 qualifies the service for aerospace primes and government agencies. Named customers include the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and NASA, with partnerships extending to BAE Systems and the ADAPT Consortium.

Big Metal Additive's strategic moat rests on its proprietary hybrid platform, process control for aluminum alloys, and certifications that are difficult for new entrants to replicate quickly. The primary competitive risk is that equipment vendors such as Lincoln Electric or Meltio could offer comparable hybrid DED systems at lower capital cost, eroding the service bureau advantage. With $7.7 million in disclosed funding from state and defense sources and a team of roughly 14 employees, the company remains a focused specialist in a segment where scale and qualification matter more than breadth of materials or processes.