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
