Primary Weapon Systems expands suppressor production with Nikon SLM 500 Additive Manufacturing machine
Vigilant Gear, LLC, operating as Primary Weapon Systems (PWS), based in Boise, Idaho, USA, has acquired an SLM 500 metal Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) Additive Manufacturing machine from Nikon SLM Solutions, Lübeck, Germany. The new machine is expected to meet the growing demand for its additively manufactured suppressors, targeted at both commercial and government markets.
“We have been at capacity with our current machine for over a year,” stated John Meehan, Director of Engineering at Primary Weapon Systems. “The SLM-500 is a welcome addition to our in-house capabilities, and I have no doubt it will perform flawlessly and increase our production bandwidth.”
The SLM 500 will also allow Primary Weapon Systems to expand material capabilities, adding Haynes 282, a nickel-based superalloy known for its strength and high-temperature performance. The company expects this to open up new engineering possibilities for suppressor applications where material performance is critical.
“In the end, the SLM 500 provided the best of both worlds,” added Meehan. “The quad lasers allow high production outputs for PWS’s BDE suppressor line while delivering a competitively priced finished product.”
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Installation and qualification will take place at the company’s 6,000 m2 vertically integrated Boise facility, where key components such as receivers, handguards, barrels, and additively manufactured parts are produced. The adoption of the new Additive Manufacturing machine is anticipated to reduce lead times for customers and support faster introduction of new models and technologies.
Nikon stated that this investment highlights the increasing role of Additive Manufacturing in the firearms industry, especially for performance-critical components like suppressors.
