Divergent Technologies launches 12-laser Monolith One metal 3D printer, opens second US factory

Divergent Technologies has unveiled the Monolith One, a 12-laser laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) system with a build volume of 700 x 700 x 835 mm and total laser power of 24 kW, developed over 28 months under CTO Brian Erhartic. The machine, standing over eight meters tall and compatible with aluminum, nickel, steel, and titanium alloys, is the core of Divergent's Adaptive Production System (DAPS). Six units are already operational at the company's Torrance, California headquarters, and a newly opened 430,000-square-foot factory in Long Beach will house 64 additional Monolith One systems over the next two years, targeting an eightfold increase in annual production output for defense and commercial customers. Divergent also appointed Ben Nicholson, formerly of Ursa Major, as Chief Commercial Officer to lead market expansion and government relations.

This move positions Divergent as a vertically integrated production platform rather than a pure machine vendor, directly challenging the conventional LPBF OEM model. By designing the printer specifically for integration into its DAPS software and automation ecosystem, Divergent aims to solve the persistent industry gap between impressive demo capabilities and repeatable factory-scale output. The 12-laser, near-meter-scale build envelope targets the same high-value, large-format metal parts that drive aerospace and defense demand, but with a domestic supply chain and US manufacturing base that aligns with the politically accelerated defense procurement wave of 2025-2026. The expansion from six to 70 machines across two factories represents a significant capacity commitment, though the company continues its strategic partnership with Nikon SLM Solutions, using NXG machines developed under that agreement.

For the industry, the practical question is whether Divergent can execute on its production targets without the qualification bottlenecks that have historically slowed large-format metal AM adoption. The company's existing defense and commercial contracts provide a revenue base, but scaling from six to 70 machines while maintaining quality control and material consistency will test the DAPS system's repeatability claims. Buyers evaluating Monolith One should focus on demonstrated part certification data and throughput metrics rather than machine specifications alone, as the printer's value depends entirely on the surrounding automation and software stack that Divergent controls in-house.