On July 18th, the website of La Espanyol published a report titled "Spanish company's patents bring changes to the military industry: they will be used on French aircraft carriers", written by Marta Sans Romero. The full text excerpt is as follows: Using 3D printing technology, customized items or parts can be obtained in a shorter time than any home delivery service, which has always been the slogan of this new technology. Although the application wave of 3D printing technology in Spain has not yet emerged, it has already made a name for itself in some fields, such as the manufacturing of medical supplies in some hospitals in Spain, or printing a two-story concrete building within 14 days. The application of 3D printing technology in the military field is also constantly expanding, as demonstrated by the Spanish company Melchio. The company has applied for a patent for a 3D printing nozzle based on laser melted metal wire welding material, which will be used on French aircraft carriers. The most commonly used material for 3D printing is plastic, and the company is developing a new technology that allows 3D printing to use materials such as metal and can be used anywhere, even on warships sailing in the ocean. Meltio's 3D printing technology has been exported to over 50 countries and regions worldwide. In addition to the Spanish Army and the US Navy, which have already used this technology, other countries are also verifying it. The latest addition to this ranks is the French Navy. According to Melchio, the French Navy has completed the first validation of the company's technology. The French will use this patented technology to manufacture and repair metal components on the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. From sea to land, Melchio's patented technology can provide assistance, allowing engineers to use 3D printing technology to manufacture components made of stainless steel, titanium, nickel, and other metal materials when needed. The use of metal materials for 3D printing technology is not new, and there are already solutions on the market, such as HP's Metal Jet S100. However, 3D printers like this use metal powder to manufacture components, and the equipment volume is quite large. This process requires more steps and wastes a lot of materials. Melchio is betting on developing a 3D printing technology that requires smaller equipment volumes, claiming that this technology is more sustainable, efficient, and can also be 3D printed with metal materials without wasting materials. For this reason, the company did not use metal powder as the substrate, but chose metal wire welding materials. Thanks to this innovative technology, manufacturers in different fields such as healthcare, military, and aerospace will have stronger production capabilities as they will be able to manufacture and repair components locally without relying on distant suppliers. However, everything indicates that the military and defense sectors are most interested in this technology. (New Society)