DEFEND3D Talks Increasing the Security of Additive Manufacturing in the Defense Sector
One of the sectors where where we have seen rapid growth of additive manufacturing is defense. From defined additive manufacturing strategies in both the UK and the US as well as a number of applications from trainings to active warfare, 3D printing is praised for its adaptibility and ability to increase field readiness. But that does not mean it does not have its issues. Lack of security, for example, is one of the biggest obstacles to adoption of AM in militaries worldwide. That is where DEFEND3D comes in. The company is redefining security for additive manufacturing in the defense sector and making the use of digital files more secure than ever before. We sat down with the founder to learn more.
3DN: Could you introduce yourself and your connection to additive manufacturing?
Hello, my name is Barrett Veldsman, I am the founder of DEFEND3D. My journey started as a creative director for some of the world’s top automotive, fashion, and sports brands. While working on an additive manufacturing project with Bugatti, I recognized the critical need for IP protection in the digital space, which ultimately led to the creation of DEFEND3D. What began as a commercial platform to safeguard the IP of leading brands and designers quickly evolved into a solution addressing a much larger market need — secure, on-demand manufacturing.
Barrett Veldsman, founder of DEFEND3D (left). Veldsman receiving recognition from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment (right)
3DN: How did DEFEND3D come about? What is its mission?
DEFEND3D was founded to solve a critical problem: how do you enable distributed manufacturing while ensuring that designs and proprietary data remain secure? With the growing adoption of AM across defense, the risks of cyber threats and IP theft have never been greater. Our mission is clear — deliver a real-time transmission service at ultra-low bandwidth that allows manufacturers to produce parts anywhere in the world, even extreme austere environments without ever handing over sensitive design files.
DEFEND3D aims to enhance the defense ecosystem and support the continuous advancements of additive manufacturing through its patented secure streaming technology. This enables a secure digital resupply of part data to remote locations without the necessity of file transfer, eliminating the security risk associated with transmitting the full 2D or 3D asset. This is accomplished by using a continuous, dynamic stream to a wide variety of manufacturing devices with bandwidths as low as 3kbps.
3DN: What problems is the defense sector still facing when it comes to the adoption of AM? How can DEFEND3D help?
The perennial problem in AM is cybersecurity, IP and large file sizes that cannot be downloaded in theater. Currently the entire digital file must be transferred to the fabrication machine, making the digital IP vulnerable to cyberattacks, manipulation and theft. Various solutions, including blockchain, licensing models and hardware decryption black-boxes, have been proposed to try and solve the issue of accessing critical parts on demand. However, all these solutions still require the full digital file to be transferred.
OEM suppliers are also hesitant to license their spare parts for 3D printing. Doing so means handing over their entire IP portfolio, which represents billions of dollars in R&D investment and revenue. DEFEND3D’s solution prevents files at rest while still offering authentication. When it comes to the challenges the defence industry faces in distributed manufacturing, I always go back to the 3 Ds: Disrupt, Data, Destroy. These three pillars illustrate the cybersecurity risks inherent in modern additive manufacturing (AM) and the urgent need for a new approach to securing digital manufacturing.
Veldsman showing the difficulties related to security in 3D printers
The 2017 WannaCry ransom attack on the NHS is a prime example of how legacy systems and unsecured digital infrastructure can be completely crippled by a cyber attack. An additional example is that the US Office of Personnel Management, which manages benefits and pensions of millions of current and retired civil servants, which, was hacked on April 15, 201. By exploiting outdated infrastructure, an entire network was disrupted and thrown into chaos. Furthermore, a Department of Defense Inspecter General’s report explicitly warned that digital AM data is a national security risk.
Now, foreign adversaries are actively targeting defence contractors, not just to steal classified data, but to embed vulnerabilities into the digital thread. The Defense Industry Security Association (DISA) event stated that the digital thread within logistics is known to hackers as the soft underbelly of the defense industrial base.
As demonstrated through successful collaborations with the UK MOD and US Special Forces, DEFEND3D is already showcasing its potential to improve supply chain and revolutionise the way of digital manufacturing. The DEFEND3D solution has also been tested in austere environments and under extreme conditions to ensure part integrity and secure data management. As highlighted in collaboration with the RRS Sir David Attenborough.
3DN: Could you tell us more about your software and your secure transmission service? How does it set you apart?
The manufacturing industry is still operating in a Blockbuster Video mindset, where full digital files are sent and stored on networked machines which creates massive security vulnerabilities. In contrast, our personal lives are fully streamed – from our music and movies to our games – because downloading entire files is inefficient and risky.
Imagine standing in a stadium on match day. If your friend emails you a 4K video file, will it download? Probably not. But if you stream the same video on YouTube, it plays instantly. So why do we expect $100K+ AM machines to download entire manufacturing files in hostile environments, when even consumer tech has moved past that model?
These are the problems I am hearing daily from engineers in the field who simply cannot gain access to these files. But at a bandwidth as low as 3KBPS we are able to stream down the wire directly to these machines. The defense sector must embrace streaming for AM files—eliminating downloads, securing data, and ensuring real-time access without exposing intellectual property.
DEFEND3D’s secure process
File size is not the only issue the problem goes much deeper than that. With the adoption of 3D printers into defense the way into the defense has now become dramatically easier, why – because AM users considered the AM systems as “tools” like welding machines to generate supply parts instead of information technology systems that require cybersecurity controls these printers are and like Stuxnet this all starts with an compromised SD card or networked printer.
The DEFEND3D whitepaper highlights the risks of file manipulation and theft within the digital thread of additive manufacturing (AM), particularly in defense applications. Traditional AM workflows involve full digital design file transfers, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks, unauthorised modifications, and IP theft. Such compromises can lead to the production of defective or maliciously altered parts, affecting operational security. DEFEND3D introduces a secure transmission method that ensures the full file is never exposed, protecting both the integrity of the digital thread and the security of sensitive manufacturing processes.
DEFEND3D ensures complete ownership retention of IP and digital assets by never transmitting the full file. Instead, it live-streams data directly to a 3D printer in real-time, providing only the necessary information whilst leaving no data at rest on the manufacturing device. The alogrithim includes multiple security mechanisms to detect sniffing attempts or imminent attacks. If a threat is identified, DEFEND3D immediately alerts the system and shuts down the stream.
3DN: Could you give us some examples of current or future projects?
US Special Forces 7th Group (Airborne) at the tactical edge, simulated an established forward support element with little to no bandwidth. The result was “that the system did everything we needed it to do, and 7th SFG (A) was satisfied with the system performance and endorsed the capability for further development and implementation”. The solution removes the need for IP transfer and the need to download an entire large file which causes bandwidth congestion.
DEFEND3D has also been tested by UK Strategic Command, a division of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD), where provision of a secure platform for digital manufacturing was delivered, designed with the ability to one-click-print, to minimise training burden. The platform links up a central design hub in a secure facility with multiple deployed locations that do not have an engineering specialist present. There is no trace of the 3D file left on the 3D printer or computer.
The importance of AM within the Defence sector is growing significantly amongst governments who are adopting this technology into their operations, maintenance and logistics. There is a clear consensus that the very threat of cybersecurity vulnerability is very real and very present.
DEFEND3D uses secure streaming to improve security for AM in defense
The ISS has been using additive manufacturing since 2014, allowing astronauts to produce essential tools, parts and products on demand. As of 2024, they have now printed over 200 parts using their Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF). More recent developments in additive manufacturing aboard the ISS, highlight significant advancements in space-based manufacturing capabilities with the launch of the first metal 3D printer designed for space applications, which successfully printed a stainless-steel bracket. Space manufacturing has the ability to leverage microgravity and vacuum conditions to create materials and components that are otherwise impossible or inefficient to produce on Earth, unlocking innovative possibilities for industries like aerospace, medicine, and energy.
With the increasing reliance on space-based manufacturing, robust cybersecurity solutions are crucial to secure data transfer and design integrity, while safeguarding intellectual property and preventing unauthorised access.
DEFEND3D’s technology enhances collaboration between Earth-based research facilities and space-based manufacturing hubs. A secure virtual inventory of pre-approved designs could allow astronauts to 3D print mission-critical parts on demand. Universities and OEMs can securely transmit design updates and adjust manufacturing parameters remotely, accelerating innovation while ensuring data security. This capability also aligns with the goals discussed at the 5th G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting, emphasising sustainability and resilience in space exploration.
3DN: Any last words for our readers?
As space exploration expands towards commercial space stations, lunar bases, and interplanetary missions, the need for secure, remote manufacturing will only grow. DEFEND3D’s secure streaming technology is critical for enabling robotic AM in space, supporting infrastructure assembly, component fabrication, and on-site repairs. Imperial College London has emphasised the role of remote manufacturing in reducing exploration risks, highlighting the necessity of secure data transmission for future off-world construction projects.
As we move closer into low Earth orbit and interplanetary manufacturing, it is critical for security to play a significant role in both additive and subtractive manufacturing. We need to build the infrastructure to enable the democratisation of innovation within the space sector. You can find out more about us HERE.
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