Oerlikon Additive Manufacturing has achieved a major production milestone with the delivery of its 25,000th 3D-printed suppressor, manufactured using Oerlikon MetcoAdd™ nickel powder.
Produced at Oerlikon’s state-of-the-art, 125,000-square-foot facility in Huntersville, North Carolina, USA, Oerlikon leverages modern laser powder bed fusion technology to produce high-performance metal components for critical defense applications. Among these, suppressors have emerged as a standout use case—benefiting significantly from the design freedom and efficiency of additive manufacturing.
"Unlike traditional suppressors that require complex, multi-part assemblies and often generate high back pressure, the 3D-printed suppressors we manufacture are single-piece designs with significantly lower back pressure," said Dan Haller, Head of Commercial at Oerlikon AM. Oerlikon works directly with firearms and suppressor customers to develop innovations that reduce gas blowback, minimize operator exposure to harmful gases like carbon monoxide and lead, and lower the risk of hearing loss and brain injuries caused by repeated muzzle blasts. They are also extremely durable, enhancing reliability and longevity in the field.
This milestone underscores Oerlikon’s focus on defense applications, extending well beyond additive manufacturing to include a broad portfolio of high-performance materials and coating solutions. As a long-established, industry-certified partner to the aerospace and defense sectors, Oerlikon is trusted to deliver mission-ready components—faster, safer, and more efficiently than ever before.