Velo3D and Aurelia Technologies are advancing metal additive manufacturing toward a more consequential role in gas turbine production.
Their strategic partnership targets qualified turbine components, faster engineering cycles, simplified assemblies, and stronger supply chain resilience as demand for power generation equipment accelerates.
The collaboration pairs Velo3D, a specialist in metal additive manufacturing, with Aurelia Technologies, a developer of fuel flexible small scale gas turbines.
Together, the companies plan to establish a disciplined route from early component assessment to qualification and initial production.
Work will proceed through several phases rather than an immediate redesign of Aurelia turbine platforms.
The program will begin with feasibility studies, then move into alloy and process development before advancing toward qualification and low rate initial production on the Velo3D Sapphire XC platform.
That staged structure is important for an industry where component integrity, repeatability, material behavior, and traceability cannot be compromised.
It also signals that metal additive manufacturing is moving beyond experimental prototypes and entering production focused qualification programs for demanding turbine hardware.
Aurelia is particularly interested in design consolidation. Additive manufacturing can combine assemblies traditionally constructed from numerous individual parts into fewer integrated components, reducing fasteners, joints, sealing interfaces, and tolerance accumulations that can become reliability liabilities during repeated thermal and mechanical cycling.
Fewer interfaces could translate into fewer potential failure points and simpler maintenance requirements.
In hot sections and other heavily stressed turbine areas, eliminating unnecessary connections may also improve durability while giving engineers greater freedom to refine internal passages and other complex geometric features.
The partnership also addresses persistent supply chain constraints. Conventional forgings, castings, dedicated tooling, and specialized machining can require substantial investment and long delivery periods, forcing manufacturers to commit capital and inventory well before final demand becomes clear.
A digital production route could allow Aurelia to introduce geometry revisions or functional changes within weeks instead of months.
That agility carries added value as turbine suppliers confront rising orders associated with data centers and other applications requiring dependable, rapidly deployable power.
“Additive manufacturing allows us to simplify designs, reduce failure points, and move faster while staying grounded in proven turbomachinery fundamentals and materials science,” said Karol Hricisak, PE, Director of Technology at Aurelia Technologies. His comments reflect the company’s emphasis on practical engineering gains rather than novelty alone.
The initial evaluation will identify components where additive production can deliver measurable improvements in performance, manufacturing time, and production feasibility.
Selected high performance alloys will also be examined, with each candidate expected to meet the demanding thermal, mechanical, and operational requirements associated with gas turbine service.
Michelle Sidwell, Chief Revenue Officer of Velo3D, described the agreement as evidence that additive manufacturing creates its greatest value when incorporated during the earliest design stages.
That approach allows engineers to exploit manufacturing freedom instead of merely reproducing components originally developed for conventional processes.
“Advanced energy systems are pushing the limits of traditional manufacturing. Aurelia is taking a thoughtful, engineering driven approach by designing with additive manufacturing in mind from the beginning, which is where the greatest impact can be realized,” Sidwell said.
Both companies envision expansion beyond the first group of candidate parts.
As Aurelia turbine platforms mature, the relationship could include additional applications, broader qualification programs, and increased production volumes supported by validated materials, controlled processes, and repeatable machine performance.
For turbine manufacturers and suppliers, the program provides another indication that qualification pathways for high temperature alloys are becoming more mature. Wider confidence in those pathways could encourage other original equipment manufacturers to consider additive production for components once constrained by casting complexity, tooling requirements, or forging availability.
The timing gives the partnership added significance. Surging electricity requirements, tightening equipment supply, and intense pressure on delivery schedules are forcing turbine developers to rethink how critical hardware is designed, sourced, qualified, and produced without sacrificing the reliability expected from modern power generation systems.
