en.Wedoany.com Reported - Due to growing demand for 3D-printed jet engines, US-based Beehive Industries has invested over $50 million in German company EOS to purchase its additive manufacturing systems, aiming to boost engine production capacity.
Beehive Industries is a US propulsion system manufacturer whose products are primarily used in unmanned aerial vehicles for the defense sector. To address the sharp increase in demand for the Frenzy 8 engine platform, the company announced this major investment in additive manufacturing. Under the agreement, EOS will deliver no fewer than 30 EOS M4 Onyx 3D printing systems to Beehive's facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Centennial, Colorado, within the next 12 months. These systems feature a 6-laser architecture, process monitoring capabilities, and an enlarged build space.
This investment will increase the total number of EOS printing systems installed at Beehive for metal components to 50. These systems are also equipped with a new powder filtration system called RFS Pro, which EOS states was developed for demanding applications in aerospace, defense, energy, and industrial manufacturing. Beehive also uses EOS software for real-time process monitoring, production data tracking, and quality management to improve the repeatability and traceability of the additive manufacturing process. Currently, Beehive operates one of the largest additive manufacturing production lines for metal parts in the US aerospace and defense sector for high-performance components.
According to Beehive, this investment follows a series of significant milestones for the company, including the successful high-altitude testing and flight validation of the Frenzy 8 engine, as well as the recent completion of a $29.7 million order from the US Air Force. This order involves integrating the propulsion platform into aircraft, test flights, and further certification work. Beehive's engines are designed for drone swarms and other next-generation unmanned aerial systems, enabling low-cost, high-volume production to meet the needs of modern defense strategies. This expansion of EOS systems underscores Beehive Industries' long-term commitment to using additive manufacturing as the foundation for scalable engine production in the US.
