Velo3D's RPS Technology Accelerates Intergalactic Space Aviation 3D Printing Program

Aerospace systems integrator Intergalactic used Velo3D's Rapid Production Solutions service to print Inconel 718 microtube heat exchanger headers in just a couple of weeks, compressing a development timeline that would have taken far longer through conventional routes. The components, intended for a cabin air heat exchanger assembly on a mass-produced commercial aircraft, were manufactured on the Sapphire XC at Velo3D's facilities in Fremont, California, with the announcement coming March 9, 2026.

The headers are printed in IN718, a nickel superalloy valued for its strength and thermal resilience in aerospace applications. What makes the Velo3D approach notable here is the geometry it enables: the parts feature large-radius geometries and sweeping low-angle transitions that mechanical recoaters in legacy laser powder bed fusion systems would typically restrict. The Sapphire XC's non-contact recoater, combined with Velo3D's advanced parameter sets, allowed those designs to be printed with minimal internal support structures, which matters a lot when you're dealing with complex internal fluid passages in a heat exchanger header.

Critically, Velo3D used its standard, production-ready IN718 parameter sets for these parts, eliminating the need for part-specific parameter development entirely. That's a meaningful distinction from the typical LPBF workflow, where dialing in parameters for a new geometry can consume weeks or months on its own. Because those parameters are validated across any Sapphire or Sapphire XC system, the design is also portable across manufacturing nodes, giving Intergalactic the groundwork for a scalable long-term supply chain rather than a one-off prototype run.

The RPS model integrates Flow pre-print software, the Sapphire family of printers, and the Assure quality assurance system, all powered by Velo3D's Intelligent Fusion manufacturing process. Together they're positioned as a predictable pathway from initial concept to hardware delivery without the redesign cycles that typically accompany new metal AM programs.

"Customers with aggressive program timelines rely on Rapid Production Solutions to get hardware fast without redesign and without lengthy development cycles," said Michelle Sidwell, Chief Revenue Officer at Velo3D. "RPS embodies Velo3D's mission to remove friction from innovation and give our customers a true competitive edge."

The Intergalactic announcement is one of several recent RPS deployments Velo3D has highlighted. Vaya Space selected Velo3D as a strategic partner for its propulsion development roadmap, using the Sapphire platform to produce parts in both GRCop42, a NASA-developed copper alloy for high-heat transfer applications, and Inconel 718. Vaya is currently using the Sapphire platform to produce what it describes as the world's first expander cycle hybrid rocket engine. "Additive manufacturing plays a central role in our ability to reduce design complexity, increase performance, and scale production," said Aaron Blankenship, Vice President of Operations at Vaya Space. "Velo3D offers the production readiness, material capabilities, and deep technical partnership we need to bring our vision to life and deliver flight-ready engines on schedule."

Velo3D CEO Dr. Arun Jeldi, commenting on the Vaya Space partnership, framed the broader RPS value proposition: "This partnership is a powerful example of how our Rapid Production Solution helps scale complex hardware manufacturing for today's most ambitious aerospace companies."

Velo3D's RPS portfolio also includes an $11.5 million full-rate production contract from a key U.S. defense prime contractor, and the company has been qualified as the first additive manufacturing vendor for U.S. Army Ground Vehicles. Velo3D delivered its first Sapphire system in 2018 and counts SpaceX, Honeywell, and Honda among its strategic partners and customers. The Sapphire XC is described by the company as the industry leader in large-format IN718 printing, a claim that the Intergalactic cabin air heat exchanger program puts in concrete, testable terms.