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Traditional suppressor manufacturing is built on labor-intensive processes, multi-part assemblies, and dedicated tooling. The result is higher costs, longer development cycles, and a production model that only makes economic sense at scale, leaving little room to iterate, customize, or respond quickly to market demands. Metal additive manufacturing rewrites this equation. By consolidating parts, eliminating tooling dependencies, enabling complex internal geometries that are impossible to machine conventionally, and supporting rapid digital design cycles, metal AM reduces both cost and risk from the earliest stages of development. The advantages below show where metal AM delivers measurable gains in performance, acoustic efficiency, speed to market, and return on investment.
Metal additive manufacturing enables internal geometries that conventional machining simply cannot produce, from enclosed baffle structures to intricate gas flow paths optimized for sound attenuation. Designs are driven by ballistic and acoustic performance rather than the limitations of tooling, and complex internal features are produced as a single part rather than assembled from multiple components.
Metal AM produces suppressor cores as fully integrated, one-piece components. Without welds or threaded joints to introduce variability, manufacturers eliminate common failure points, reduce alignment risk, and achieve more consistent structural and acoustic performance across every unit and throughout the service life of the suppressor.
Metal AM enables material to be placed precisely where structural demands require it, rather than where tooling constraints dictate it. The result is suppressor designs with reduced mass that meet or exceed the mechanical strength, stiffness, and durability of conventionally manufactured components, without the penalties imposed by uniform wall thickness or limited tool access.
Traditional suppressors require numerous individual components, including baffles, spacers, end caps, and tubes, each of which must be machined, cleaned, and assembled before welding. Metal AM consolidates these into a single printed part, eliminating threading, welding, and multi-part assembly entirely. Fewer parts mean fewer labor hours, fewer inspection steps, and lower scrap and rework rates, all of which reduce per-unit manufacturing cost directly.
Traditional suppressor development cycles can stretch for months, constrained by machining lead times, tooling setup, and iterative welding and assembly. Metal AM compresses this timeline by allowing multiple design variants to be printed overnight on a single build plate. Functional prototypes can be tested and refined within days rather than months, reducing capital expenditure and accelerating the path from concept to a market-ready product.
The following examples show how suppressor manufacturers are putting metal additive manufacturing to work in production environments. Each case reflects measurable gains in performance, development speed, and manufacturing efficiency, demonstrating how the right technical partnership translates additive technology into real-world results at scale.
HUNTERS’ POINT, a hunting equipment manufacturer in Denmark, is advancing silencer production using its own SLM®280 metal additive manufacturing system. Working with the Danish Technological Institute (DTI), the company is optimizing titanium silencer designs for improved performance while reducing production lead times by more than 90 percent. By combining geometric design freedom with localized, in-house manufacturing, HUNTERS’ POINT is setting new standards for precision and efficiency, with Nikon SLM Solutions proudly supporting this innovation in metal additive manufacturing.
Primary Weapons Systems (PWS) is expanding production of its BDE suppressor line with the addition of an SLM®500 metal additive manufacturing system. This investment supports increased output to meet growing commercial and government demand while enabling the transition from titanium to high-performance alloys such as HAYNES® 282®. By increasing production capacity and accelerating development and product introduction timelines, additive manufacturing plays a central role in PWS’s focus on performance, reliability, and continued innovation.
To learn how metal additive manufacturing can be applied to your suppressor programs, connect with our team of experts. Our specialists work closely with manufacturers to evaluate design opportunities, material selection, and production strategies tailored to specific performance and volume requirements. Use the form below to contact our team and start a conversation about how additive manufacturing can support your next stage of development.
NXG 600E 
NXG XII 600 
SLM®500 
SLM®280 PS 
SLM®280 2.0 
