Industries
Defence additive manufacturing in the UK: what an SME supplier can and cannot offer
A UK SME additive manufacturer can supply prototypes, trial hardware and small batches of non-critical parts quickly, under NDA, with build records. It cannot supply security-cleared, flight-certified or export-controlled work unless it holds the relevant approvals. HenleyPrint3D makes the first kind of work in Devon and holds none of those approvals.
Reviewed by HenleyPrint3D engineers4 min readUpdated
Key takeaways
- Good fit: enclosures, payload brackets, UAV components, tooling and trial hardware, from 1 to thousands of parts.
- Handled under a mutual NDA signed before geometry is shared.
- Records: build record per frozen revision, dimensional report on the features you mark.
- Not held: no security clearance, no ITAR registration, no AS9100 or MOD approval; ISO 9001 is work in progress.
- Parts are made in Devon, UK, on machines we operate.
Suits
Defence primes, SMEs and research teams buying prototypes, trial hardware and low-volume non-critical parts.
Worth knowing
We are not security cleared, ITAR registered, AS9100 certified or MOD approved. Classified, flight-critical or export-controlled work needs a supplier who holds those approvals.
Typical defence parts made by an SME supplier
Most of our defence 3D printing enquiries are housings for electronics, radios, batteries and sensors, followed by payload brackets, UAV airframe components, equipment cases and workshop tooling. Typical quantity is tens, up to a few hundred. Beyond that, moulding is usually cheaper and we say so. The process is normally FDM in nylon or carbon-fibre filled material, SLS PA12 for thin walls and complex geometry, and SLA for fit models.
Our position on common defence requirements
| Buyer question | Our position |
|---|---|
| Do you sign an NDA? | Yes. A mutual NDA before you share geometry. |
| Are you security cleared? | No. We hold no security clearance. |
| Are you ITAR registered? | No. Email an engineer before sending any ITAR or EAR controlled design. The quote portal is for designs that are not export-controlled. |
| Are you AS9100 or MOD approved? | No. We hold no AS9100 certificate and no MOD or DEF STAN approval. |
| Are you ISO 9001 certified? | Not yet. We are working towards it, and we hold no ISO 27001 certification. Ask for the current position when you qualify us. |
| Where are parts made? | In Devon, UK, on machines we operate. |
| Can you hold a tolerance? | Typical FDM tolerance is ±0.5%, with a 0.3 mm minimum. Tighter limits are confirmed against your drawing at quote. |
Documentation supplied with a defence order
- Build record kept against the frozen model revision, so a repeat order is built the same way as the first.
- Material and lot record per part.
- Dimensional report on the features you mark on the drawing.
- First-part records compiled for every new design.
- CMM measurement, 3D scanning, CT scanning and mechanical test coupons by arrangement or on request, confirmed at quote.
Build records support your own qualification route. They are not a certificate of conformity to a defence standard. See quality control and inspection for the inspection steps.
From prototype to a fielded batch
| Stage | Calendar days | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Model and duty received | Day 0 | You send STEP or STL and the environment: vibration, shock, temperature, ingress. Programme details are not required. |
| First article | Day 1 to 3 | FDM or SLS in a material chosen for the duty, checked for fit against your hardware. |
| Revision after trial | Day 3 to 5 | Send the revised model. With no tooling, a change costs one rebuild. |
| Second and third articles | Day 5 to 10 | Orientation, wall thickness, inserts and finishes tuned. |
| Fielding batch | Day 10 to 14 | Design frozen, quantity built, record kept against the frozen revision. |
Dates change with part size and finishing; the quote gives the committed dispatch date. Standard lead time starts from 1 calendar day (SLS from 2).
Defence prototype quotes
Send the model and the duty. We reply with process, material, price and dispatch date.
How to qualify an SME supplier for defence work
- Agree the NDA and the data-handling route before any file moves.
- Ask for the supplier's written position on clearance, export control and certification, and check it against your contract flow-down.
- Decide which parts are non-critical enough for an uncertified supplier, and which need an approved source.
- Agree the inspection features and the records required, at quote.
- Run one trial batch before committing a programme.
For the full supplier checklist, see how to choose an additive manufacturing supplier. For online marketplaces compared with a partner, see alternatives to Protolabs, Hubs and Craftcloud.
HenleyPrint3D key figures
| HenleyPrint3D | Value |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 |
| Components produced | 312,467 across 21 countries |
| Typical defence quantity | 1 to thousands |
| Production site | Clayhidon, Cullompton, Devon EX15 3TU |
| Standard lead time from | 1 calendar day (SLS from 2) |
Frequently asked questions
Is HenleyPrint3D a security-cleared supplier?
No. We hold no security clearance. We sign a mutual NDA before files are shared and keep orders out of marketing material unless you agree in writing.
Can I send ITAR or EAR controlled designs?
Email an engineer first. The online quote portal is for designs you have the right to share that are not export-controlled. We hold no ITAR registration.
Are you AS9100 certified or MOD approved?
No. We hold no AS9100 certificate and no MOD or DEF STAN approval. We are working towards ISO 9001.
What defence parts can a 3D printing SME make?
Enclosures, payload brackets, UAV airframe components, equipment cases and tooling, from 1 to thousands of parts in FDM, SLS nylon or SLA.
What records come with a defence order?
A build record against the frozen revision, a material and lot record, and a dimensional report on the features you mark. CMM, scanning and test coupons are by arrangement.
Can you move from prototype to batch production?
Yes. Once the design is frozen we build the quantity and keep the record, so a repeat order matches the first. Beyond a few hundred we say if moulding is a better route.
Get started
Talk to an engineer about your part.
Send your CAD, or describe the problem and the duty. We recommend the process, material and finish, and quote with the dispatch date up front.
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