LIG Defense&Aerospace (LIG D&A) said on the 22nd that in Apr. it set up the Metal AM Center, a mass-production facility for metal 3D printing, together with LIG Precision Technology. LIG D&A plans to actively use components made with metal 3D printing technology at this facility.
Metal 3D printing technology refers to designing and manufacturing metal parts with a 3D printer. Low-cost, high-efficiency production is its key strength. While developing a parts production process using 3D printing technology in 2014, LIG D&A recently secured results in developing parts that can be put to practical use.
Based on this, LIG D&A plans to actively apply the technology across all areas, including surveillance and reconnaissance, guided weapons, and next-generation manned-unmanned systems. According to LIG D&A, "topology optimization" and "generative design" using 3D printing can create optimal part structures, reducing the weight of weapon systems and improving performance. It also enables not only shorter development and manufacturing timelines but also supply chain stabilization.
LIG D&A is said to be the only defense company in Korea to have adopted metal 3D printing technology.
An LIG D&A official said, "When metal 3D printing is combined with AI-based design optimization and process control technology, it will become a core technology of defense innovation," adding, "We will lead this technology."