Velo3D Anduril SpaceX Supplier: A Quality Inspector's Checklist for Metal AM

Before the Checklist

I'm a quality compliance manager at a manufacturing company. I review about 200 unique items a year, and in 2024 I rejected almost 7% of first deliveries because the parts did not meet our written specification. This checklist is what I use before I approve a metal additive manufacturing supplier for production work.

Use this checklist when you need certified metal parts for aerospace, defense, energy, or medical programs. Do not use it for packaging, woodworking, or simple machined brackets. The rules are different.

Can a laser cutter cut plywood? Yes, with the right laser, lens, and ventilation. Does that answer help you choose a metal 3D printer? No. And if you are comparing prices for a VMC drinks 12 pack, you are in a completely different buying process. The checklist below is specifically for metal AM.

The Seven-Step Checklist

Seven steps, in order. Skip any one, and you will own the defect later.

1. Verify the Customer Claims

The phrase 'Velo3D Anduril SpaceX supplier' shows up in a lot of marketing material. It sounds strong. It is also not a specification.

As of Q1 2025, the public record includes Velo3D as a supplier to both Anduril and SpaceX. You may also see references to a Velo3D SpaceX contract 2025 in industry coverage. What you won't see publicly are the part numbers, acceptance criteria, and test results behind those relationships.

So verify. Ask the supplier: 'Which customer did you qualify for, and what did they test?' If the answer is 'we can't share the details, but trust us,' that is a yellow flag. I have rejected suppliers with impressive logos because their first article was way off specs.

2. Define Your Critical Dimensions Before You Call Sales

This sounds obvious, but it is where most vendor evaluations go sideways. In our Q1 2024 quality audit, most rejected AM parts had one thing in common: the buyer did not define which surfaces mattered. The machine printed a beautiful part. It just printed the wrong datums.

You need a drawing or model with critical-to-quality dimensions, tolerances, and surface finish requirements. If you don't have that, don't blame the printer later.

3. Ask About Support Structures—Really

One reason Velo3D gets attention for complex hardware is design freedom. Some of their customers make fuel paths and internal channels that are impossible to machine. But 'capable of complex geometry' does not mean 'zero engineering evaluation.'

If a sales engineer ever says 'we can print any complex part, no support structure analysis needed,' run away. The right answer is: 'We can review your geometry, run a build simulation, and tell you where supports are needed, why, and what the trade-offs are.'

4. Calculate Cost Per Part, Not Machine Price

Metal AM pricing is not like a VMC drinks 12 pack. There is no shelf price. A Velo3D Sapphire system quote depends on options, installation, powder handling, and training. And the machine is only part of the total cost.

The surprise wasn't the machine cost. It was the integration cost: argon, powder, build simulation software, post-processing, inspection, and the time your team spends qualifying the process. Include all of that in your cost-per-part model. Otherwise, the first production run will blow your budget.

5. Run a Material Traceability Audit

This is the step most people ignore. I have never fully understood why. My best guess is that material traceability sounds boring until a batch of expensive parts fails.

A few years ago, we received a batch of 50 titanium brackets with a visibly wrong surface finish. The measured Ra was 3.2 against our Ra 1.6 spec. Normal tolerance is +/- 10%. The vendor claimed it was 'within industry standard.' We rejected the batch, and they redid it at their cost. Now every contract includes powder source, lot numbers, and a material pedigree requirement.

For aerospace, I also ask for AS9100 certification and a powder chemistry certificate. If the supplier avoids that question, the part is not qualified.

6. Plan Post-Processing Before You Commit to the Build

AM parts almost never go from powder to finished in one step. They go through heat treat, support removal, surface finishing, and usually some machining. For critical mating faces, a Pennsylvania CNC machining shop may still be the right final operation.

That is not a failure of metal AM. It is honest process planning. If your vendor tells you there is zero post-machining, ask for proof. Otherwise, get a local CNC partner in place before you order powder.

7. Put a Failure-Review Gate in Place

Define what happens when a build fails. Who decides if a part is usable? Who signs off on a deviation? What is the maximum acceptable defect size? If you don't answer those questions in writing, the supplier will make the call. And their call may not match your quality standard.

A defect ruined 800 parts in a storage test once. It wasn't the printer. It was our own missing moisture-control gate. We fixed the procedure. That procedure now lives on the review sheet before every production run.

Notes I Keep Repeating

No perfect technology. Velo3D is not the right answer for every metal part. If your part is a simple flat bracket, a Pennsylvania CNC machining shop will likely beat it on price and lead time. If your real question is 'can a laser cutter cut plywood?', the answer is yes, but you don't need a metal AM checklist.

No false universal. Metal 3D printing will not completely replace CNC machining. It creates complex near-net shapes. Then you machine the critical surfaces. That is the standard workflow for many aerospace and defense parts, not a compromise.

Time check. This was accurate as of Q1 2025. The additive manufacturing market changes fast, so verify current specs, prices, and contract claims before you make a sourcing decision.

Bottom Line

Velo3D has a real position in the aerospace and defense supply chain. The names SpaceX and Anduril are not fantasies. The Velo3D SpaceX contract 2025 references are worth checking, but the company's technology is serious.

Still, my job is not to be impressed. It is to say yes or no before a part ships to the customer. Use this checklist, inspect the first article, and only then commit to production. That's it. Period.