Evergreen Additive is expanding the use of large-format additive manufacturing (LFAM) from marine tooling into direct production of unmanned surface vessels (USVs), demonstrating how 3D printing can shorten development and manufacturing cycles for composite-intensive maritime platforms.
The company's technology has already been used to produce 6-meter-long USVs, with two vessels manufactured, launched, and tested in 2025. Evergreen has since expanded its commercial production capabilities with a 2 × 12-meter worktable on its LFAM platform, enabling the fabrication of larger marine structures.
The company says its additive approach can produce marine tooling 50% to 75% faster than conventional methods, which can otherwise require three to six months. The same manufacturing approach is now being applied directly to vessel structures, reducing the need for traditional molds and allowing designs to move from digital files to physical platforms more rapidly.
One recent platform is a 3D-printed composite catamaran designed for unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations. The vessel features a 4 × 6-foot payload deck for accommodating rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, along with integrated sensing and mission equipment.
Evergreen is also producing four additively manufactured vessels for Northern Strike 2026, comprising two small monohulls, an electric catamaran, and a 6-foot target hull. The company has demonstrated production of individual hulls in approximately one day, highlighting the potential of LFAM for rapidly deployable and expendable maritime platforms.
The company is supported by a strategic materials partnership with Airtech Advanced Materials Group, covering materials and technical development for LFAM applications in marine and defense markets.
By moving from printed tooling to directly manufactured vessels, Evergreen Additive is demonstrating how large-format composite additive manufacturing can support faster vessel development, reduce tooling requirements, and provide greater flexibility for producing mission-specific unmanned platforms.
Source: Evergreen Additive Inc. | LinkedIn
