Velo3D
Velo3D is a US metal additive manufacturing company producing the Sapphire XC laser powder bed fusion printer for aerospace and defense applications.
Velo3D is a US metal additive manufacturing company founded in 2014 by Benny Buller and headquartered in Campbell, California. Buller, who previously worked in semiconductor manufacturing and served as an investor at Khosla Ventures, founded Velo3D to overcome fundamental limitations in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology, in particular the inability of conventional systems to print complex geometries at low angles without requiring dense support structures. The company maintained a secretive development phase for several years, securing a $22 million initial funding round in 2015 from investors including Khosla Ventures, before publicly unveiling its technology in August 2018. Velo3D is distinguished as one of the few US-headquartered LPBF manufacturers that designs and builds its complete hardware and software system domestically, meeting security, quality, and performance standards for defense and aerospace customers.
Velo3D developed the Sapphire family of LPBF printers, which are engineered to produce metal parts with minimal support structures, including surfaces at angles as low as zero degrees, high aspect ratio structures up to 3,000:1, large inner diameters up to 100 mm, and free-floating parts previously considered unprintable in conventional LPBF. The Sapphire XC 1MZ model features eight 1-kilowatt lasers and can produce parts up to 600 mm in diameter and 1,000 mm in height. The integrated production system also includes Flow intelligent print preparation software for pre-processing and Assure quality monitoring and control software for in-process inspection, creating a closed-loop manufacturing environment that supports process qualification for flight-critical parts.
Velo3D's primary markets are aerospace and defense, where it produces parts in high-performance alloys including titanium and Inconel. The National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) purchased a Sapphire 1MZ machine to develop performance-based qualification methods for metal additive manufactured airframe components. In 2025, Velo3D was awarded a $9.8 million multi-year contract by the US Department of War in support of the Defense Logistics Agency, establishing the company as part of the domestic defense industrial base for on-demand metal part production.
Primary type & automation activities this supplier delivers:
Sapphire XC
- Model: Sapphire XC
- Launch Year: 2022
Large-format laser powder bed fusion metal 3D printer with 600mm diameter build volume for aerospace and defense parts.
Sapphire 1MZ
Metal 3D printer with 1-meter Z-axis height for tall aerospace components using LPBF technology.
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Contact Velo3D
WEBSITE
https://velo3d.comPHONE
+1 408-610-3915HEADQUARTERS
United States
Company Facts
Founded
2014
Primary Role
Manufacturer
Company Size
employees 100-500
Primary Region
North America
Annual Sales
-
Funding Stage
-
Funding Total
-
