DEEP Manufacturing and Fortius Metals partner on multi-material wire arc AM for production-scale deposition

DEEP Manufacturing has entered a partnership with Fortius Metals to develop multi-material wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) for production-scale deposition of complex metal components. The collaboration targets combining advanced alloys-such as Inconel 718 and copper alloys-in a single build, addressing a key limitation of conventional WAAM systems that typically handle only one material per deposition run. Specific technical targets, including deposition rates and build envelope dimensions, were not disclosed, but the partnership is positioned as a move toward serial production rather than prototyping or repair applications.

This partnership fits squarely within the metal DED segment frontier, where scale advantage is finding clearer homes in large-format, near-net-shape production. The multi-material capability addresses a persistent gap in WAAM: the inability to deposit dissimilar alloys in a single, continuous toolpath without post-build joining or hybrid manufacturing steps. Fortius Metals brings proprietary wire chemistries and process control for high-deposition-rate DED, while DEEP Manufacturing contributes its production-scale WAAM platform and end-user relationships in energy and heavy industrial verticals. The collaboration updates the open debate around whether WAAM can move beyond repair and one-off tooling into repeatable, qualified production-a question that remains unresolved but is now being tested with a materials-first approach rather than a machine-first one.

From a practical standpoint, the success of this partnership hinges on whether the multi-material deposition can achieve consistent mechanical properties at the interface zones between dissimilar alloys, and whether the combined system can pass qualification protocols in target verticals like oil and gas or power generation. Buyers should watch for published mechanical test data and qualification milestones rather than partnership announcements alone. The companies must demonstrate that multi-material WAAM can deliver repeatable, inspectable parts at production rates, not just single demonstrations.