RPM Innovations to triple DED part manufacturing capacity with facility expansion
May 30, 2024

RPM Innovations, Inc. (RPMI), Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, has announced the groundbreaking of a new facility to support increased demand for its metal powder-based Directed Energy Deposition (DED) Additive Manufacturing machines and component manufacturing services.
The new state-of-the-art facility will be located adjacent to its existing building and will provide over 4,000 m2 of additional floor space, bringing the total to over 9,000 m2. The expansion will triple RPMI’s current component manufacturing service capacity by providing space for over 45 DED machines dedicated to producing parts for its customers.
RPMI believes the substantial increase in interest in its DED part production services over the past few years is due to the technology’s ability to drastically reduce development times, quickly adapt to changes or revisions in part design, and incorporate complex internal designs that were not previously manufacturable by traditional methods. It currently operates fifteen DED machines around the clock and plans to increase the number of these throughout 2024.
“This expansion is a testament to the trust our customers have in our team at RPMI and our dedication to see DED exceed the challenges and expectations set forth from industry,” stated Nick Wald, General Manager at RPMI, a twenty-year DED industry veteran. “This growth is expanding the critical manufacturing infrastructure we want to see throughout the USA.”

RPMI’s large-scale 557XR laser DED Additive Manufacturing machine has a build volume of up to 1.5 x 1.5 x 2.1 m. With ITAR compliance and AS9100 certification, the company produces flight-approved production components, rapid prototype parts, and forging/casting replacements. RPMI machines are also used for the application of wear coatings, repairs, and the development new alloys.
RPMI is aiming to begin moving additional DED machines into the new building and begin production in early 2025.