Case study: SPEE3D

Pioneering high-speed 3D printing of metal parts

Founded in 2015 and proudly based in the Northern Territory, SPEE3D is one of the world’s leading advanced manufacturers of high-speed 3D printing for metal parts and alloys.

Opportunity

To commercialise its innovation, scale manufacturing and break into new industries and international markets, SPEE3D sought assistance from the Northern Territory Government.

Approach

Following its success with Defence, SPEE3D identified significant opportunities in other sectors including mining and resources, automotive and space.

An advanced version of the printer, known as XSPEE3D, was launched in 2022 and has since been exported to the British, Japanese and USA Defence industries.

The printer is used by armed forces to rapidly fabricate vital parts for military equipment within hours compared to more traditional methods that often involve long waits for replacements or bring the challenge of dealing with obsolete parts.

Ukraine is using the technology to produce critical replacement parts in the field.

Solution

In 2020, the Northern Territory Government supported SPEE3D by providing a loan of A$2.75 million for the establishment of a Research and Development Headquarters in Darwin, including $312k in funding towards SPEE3D’s SPACE3D project.

Support from the NTG allowed for the concept of the ruggedised, mobile XSPEE3D printer to be developed and tested in partnership with the Australian Army, involving three field trials over several weeks in the harsh, remote conditions of the Northern Territory outback.

Additionally, the company is moving forward with plans to target new customers in the international defence industries, including West Africa, as a result of their recent partnership with RusselSmith.

Outcomes

Economic modelling done by the Northern Territory Government shows this project will directly grow the local economy through exports by A$58 million, with a further flow-on effect to gross state product (GSP) of A$55 million over 5 years.

As well as creating 12 new direct jobs, this investment supports countless jobs in the future - with 40 TAFE,  undergraduate and postgraduate students at Charles Darwin University (CDU) receiving exposure to this innovative technology.

SPEE3D was named NT Exporter of the Year in 2023.

"It is because of continuous support our business has received from the Northern Territory and federal governments, local investment such as the Paspalis Innovation Investment Fund, and the work we are doing with CDU, all this has contributed to our business's rapid export growth with global defence forces, including Ukraine."

Steven Camilleri
Chief Technology Officer, SPEE3D

At-a-glance