Building Drones at Scale: SLS Production from Low-Volume to High-Rate Manufacturing

In this episode, host Fabian Alefeld sits down with Nick Classen, General Manager of Northwest Rapid Manufacturing, to explore how the company has grown from supporting early UAV production at Northwest UAV into a leading provider of polymer additive manufacturing (AM) services. Classen shares how Northwest Rapid began using EOS selective laser sintering (SLS) technology in 2008 and continues to operate its original system today.

The conversation examines why AM has become a strategic technology for UAV and aerospace applications, enabling lighter-weight components, reduced part counts, complex geometries, and a seamless path from functional prototyping to production. Classen emphasizes the importance of engaging AM experts early in the design process to ensure parts are optimized for manufacturability before release.

The episode also explores production scaling, with discussions around typical UAV production volumes, market growth driven by defense spending and industry consolidation, and applications ranging from structural brackets and housings to conformal fuel tanks. Classen highlights the role of advanced materials, including Nylon 12, glass-filled polymers, alumide, and flame-retardant materials, as well as the extensive post-processing, coating, testing, and EMI shielding capabilities required to deliver finished production parts. He concludes with insights into Northwest Rapid’s plans to expand into metal AM.

02:05 The Origins of Northwest Rapid Manufacturing
03:59 Why AM Makes Sense for UAVs
06:40 Designing for Additive from the Start
10:52 Low-Rate vs. High-Rate Production
12:29 Scaling for Future Market Growth
14:52 UAV Applications Moving into Production
16:41 Conformal Fuel Tanks and Structural Components
20:05 Materials Driving SLS Adoption
22:27 The Value of Post-Processing
23:00 Finishing and Certifying Fuel Tanks
24:16 Understanding EMI Shielding
24:57 Why More UAV Housings Are Being Printed
26:07 Growth Trends in the UAV Industry
28:39 Expanding into Metal AM
30:09 Opportunities Beyond UAVs
31:31 Educating the Next Generation of Drone Engineers
36:09 Scaling Operations to Meet Demand
37:27 Hiring, Workforce Development & Post-Processing