Velo3D Partners With Sandia on Five-Year Research Pact
The Fremont, California, additive manufacturing company signed a five-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Quantum Computing
Velo3D has signed a five-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Sandia National Laboratories, establishing a framework for collaboration on advanced manufacturing research. The agreement was announced November 5, 2026.
Why it matters
The framework targets repeatability and reliability in 3D printing, a longstanding challenge for producing parts consistently across machines and production sites. Findings from the collaboration may inform how additive manufacturing scales in the United States.
The five-year CRADA sets the overall term of collaboration, while the specific technical targets remain undefined until individual Project Task Statements are approved. Research areas named include part reliability, repeatability across machines, materials development, and workforce development.
The players
Velo3D
Velo3D is a Fremont, California-based additive manufacturing company that builds metal 3D printing systems for industrial production.
Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories is a federally funded research and development center operated for the U.S. Department of Energy, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a long history of national security and advanced manufacturing research.
The details
Under the agreement, Velo3D and Sandia will pursue research areas including part reliability, repeatability across machines and production sites, materials development, workforce development and technology transfer. Velo3D's Golden Print File methodology, designed to reproduce the same build across its Sapphire systems, is central to the company's approach.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Velo3D and Sandia National Laboratories announce the agreement.
Five-year term: Duration of the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement.
The Tech Race
The agreement follows the CRADA model that U.S. national laboratories use to partner with private firms on applied research. It positions Velo3D to compete on process consistency as rival additive manufacturers pursue similar industrial-scale reliability goals.
For end users, the research aims to make 3D-printed parts more dependable and consistent across production sites, which could affect the quality of manufactured components. Concrete product or pricing effects are not yet defined because individual projects remain to be scoped.
The takeaway
The agreement is described as a starting point, so its real-world results will depend on which individual projects are approved and what findings the partners share as the work progresses.
Further reading
Explore more on Quantum Computing coverage for the broader technology landscape behind this research.
