Velo3D and Sandia National Laboratories Sign Five-Year CRADA to Collaborate on Metal Additive Manufacturing

What happened

Velo3D signed a five-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Sandia National Laboratories on January 13, 2026. This umbrella agreement sets terms for joint research into metal additive manufacturing, which means 3D printing metal parts, for defense and energy uses, with projects approved separately.

Confirmed

Global impact / market context

The deal gives Velo3D a research partner tied to national laboratories and defense and energy supply chains, but it promises no orders or revenue. Each project needs separate approval, so business benefits depend on future task statements, not the framework alone.

Analyst inference

Metal 3D printing firms often seek government and defense work because certification takes years and buyers value proven reliability. A national laboratory partner can support credibility on repeatability and materials, but investors still lack project funding, timelines, or production volumes to size the impact.

Analyst inference

What to watch

1. Watch for individual Project Task Statements, since the article says each project is scoped and approved separately under the umbrella agreement. Confirmed
2. Watch whether the parties announce research into part reliability, repeatability across machines and sites, materials development, or workforce development, the areas they intend to explore. Proposed
3. Watch whether Sandia work converts into defense or energy production contracts for Velo3D, which would show the research relationship reaching commercial revenue. Analyst inference

Evidence

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