USA & Canada
USA & Canada
Case Study

How General Atomics Utilizes Additive Manufacturing


How General Atomics Utilizes Additive Manufacturing

How General Atomics Maximizes the Potential of Additive Manufacturing

About General Atomics

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) is a world leader in developing and producing unmanned aircraft systems, notably the MQ-9A Reaper and MQ-9B SkyGuardian, to name just two. In just over a decade, GA-ASI’s adoption of AM has advanced from a few desktop printers to a fully evolved ecosystem of AM technologies and applications, resulting in thousands of parts flying on multiple GA-ASI unmanned aircraft platforms today.

Built on a Sound Formula

GA-ASI’s accomplishments with additive manufacturing (AM) didn’t happen by accident. They are a result of a systematic approach developed over time that meshes with the company’s business objectives.

  • Development of an AM ecosystem
  • Establishing the business case for AM application
  • Forming a center of excellence dedicated to implementing and expanding AM use
  • Partnering with industry to learn, grow, and strengthen the supply chain

Although GA-ASI developed this recipe, there’s no reason why other manufacturers in industries beyond aerospace can’t use the same methodology for success.

Steve Fournier is a senior manager at the center and has been instrumental in establishing the company’s AM “ecosystem” – the framework of elements that comprise a successful AM program. In Fournier’s words, the ecosystem is the recipe that guides the organization for each AM application the company pursues. “The benefit is that it’s a template for us to work through what we need to work through and brings credibility to what we do,” Fournier says.

Putting it All Together

In the relatively short time since adopting additive manufacturing, GA-ASI has attained impressive results. For example, in 2022, the company reported its MQ-9B SkyGuardian comprised about 240 AM parts, saving $2 million in tooling costs and achieving more than $300,000 in recurring cost avoidance. Those results will only increase over time, fueled by additional AM applications across other upcoming aircraft programs.

Reducing costs is one of the fundamental benefits of AM. Another is speed, which helps businesses accelerate time-to-market. But while cost reduction and time-to-market acceleration are worthy objectives, they don’t paint the complete benefit picture of additive manufacturing. In Fournier’s view, AM’s other advantage is its ability to change the approach to design and manufacturing because it alleviates conventional manufacturability constraints.

Fournier relates, “Additive itself is not the end game - it’s not what will change the industry and flip it on its head. Additive is a good fit in that it’s an enabling force to manufacture designs that will be increasingly and exponentially complex and integrated at the system level. It is part of the full digital manufacturing end goal at GA-ASI.”

Download the full case study using the link below. 

Learn More

Read more about how General Atomics reduces cost and accelerates time-to-market with additive manufacturing.

Related Content

Peace of Mind eBook

Peace of Mind Stereolithography with the Neo®

Find out how the Neo® was born, and what makes it the gold standard of SLA 3D printers in this free guide to peace of mind stereolithography . ​

View more
Boom 1

Boom Supersonic uses 3D printing to challenge what’s possible in commercial flight.

See how Boom Supersonic uses 3D printing to challenge what’s possible in commercial flight utilizing Stratasys technology.

View more
Valiant site image

Staying agile and flexible with the right 3D printing solution

Valiant TMS tested and evaluated on their Origin® 3D printer elastomeric materials, which previously proved tricky to do in other technologies. Read the results.

View more
Peace of Mind eBook

Find out how the Neo® was born, and what makes it the gold standard of SLA 3D printers in this free guide to peace of mind stereolithography . ​

Boom 1

See how Boom Supersonic uses 3D printing to challenge what’s possible in commercial flight utilizing Stratasys technology.

Valiant site image

Valiant TMS tested and evaluated on their Origin® 3D printer elastomeric materials, which previously proved tricky to do in other technologies. Read the results.