Guam Facility Produces First Navy-Grade Metal 3D-Printed Parts

A small island facility now builds metal parts for the Pacific submarine fleet without waiting for mainland shipments

Guam's Additive Materials and Manufacturing Accelerator, known as GAMMA, has produced its first Navy-grade metal parts, marking what its director called a milestone for the island's industrial base. The Dededo facility is funded by the Navy's Submarine Industrial Base Office through ASTRO America and exists to reduce the lead time for submarine replacement parts across the Pacific.

Before GAMMA reached initial operating capability, a part needed for a submarine or support vessel in Guam had to travel by ship from Hawaii or the U.S. mainland. That could take weeks. GAMMA's goal is to take a digital design file and produce a finished metal part inside the same building where the need arises.

Director Alex Benham told The Guam Daily Post that the facility crossed the threshold about six weeks before the interview. He said the milestone is not just a technical one. It is a logistics fix for a region where specialized metal powders, welding wire, and polishing chemicals cannot be bought locally. The facility keeps roughly a year's supply of consumables on hand at all times to protect against shipping disruptions.

The facility does not yet have its laser powder bed fusion machine, which Benham described as the operation's crown jewel. That system is still in transit and is expected to arrive within a few weeks. A public open house is now planned for the first quarter of 2027, once all major equipment is installed and running.

Interest from other services is already growing. The Air Force has inquired about GAMMA's capabilities. The Marines and Army have not yet made contact. Civilian uses are possible once capacity opens up, from ambulance parts to utility repairs. For now, the focus stays on proving that Guam can build what it used to have to import.