SculptPrint large-format wire-arc printing by Lincoln Electric: status and timeline

Milestones

Next · Naval propulsion parts up to 20,000 lb (BPMI program)

Acquires Baker Industries (machining, Michigan)2019Complete.
Bechtel Plant Machinery picks Lincoln for naval parts15 Feb 2024Complete.
Printed Soo Locks lever arm installed1 Mar 2024Complete.
Four SculptPrint 1500 cells for Electric Boat openOct 2025Complete.
Naval propulsion parts up to 20,000 lb (BPMI program)NowCurrent milestone.

Most important updates

Navy, Electric Boat and Lincoln Electric open four large wire-arc printing cells for submarine parts10 Oct 2025
Printed 6,000-lb steel lever arm installed at the Soo Locks after an 18-month casting quote1 Mar 2024
Bechtel Plant Machinery picks Lincoln Electric to print naval propulsion parts up to 20,000 lb15 Feb 2024

Current obstacles

Naval qualification part by partPrinted submarine and reactor-plant parts need test data the Navy accepts before each one replaces a casting.
No aluminium or titaniumLincoln doesn't offer them yet; it says the business case isn't there.

Physics limits

Rough, oversize surfacesWeld beads are millimetres wide, so parts come out rough and oversize and must be machined; fine features and thin walls are beyond the process.
Heat builds stressEach pass re-melts and reheats the layers below, so large parts build residual stress and can distort; deposition must be paced and parts may need heat treatment.

How it works

4 parts

Welding as printing

Beads of molten wire

A robot arm runs a welding torch that melts steel or nickel wire and lays beads layer by layer into a near-final shape.

Positioner

The part moves too

A two-axis servo positioner turns and tilts the part under a six-axis ABB robot so the torch can reach every face.

Path planning

SculptPrint OS

Lincoln's slicer turns the CAD model into torch paths and weld settings, with monitoring during the build.

Scan and machine

From rough to exact

Every part is laser-scanned against CAD, then machined to final size; big parts are printed in sections and welded.

Spec sheet

Spec	SculptPrint large-format wire-arc printing
Wire-arc printers in Cleveland	26, running 24/7^R (reported)
Largest part handled	20,000 lb^R (reported)
Single print size	About an 8-ft cube^R (reported)
SculptPrint 1500 envelope	526 × 478 × 440 cm^R (reported)
Lead time vs casting	Up to ~80% shorter^R (reported)
Speed vs casting/forging	Up to 8x faster (company)^R (reported)
Alloys	Steels, 17-4 PH, nickel 617/625, Invar 36, 70/30 Cu-Ni^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

3 updates

About Lincoln Electric

The team behind SculptPrint large-format wire-arc printing

Lincoln Electric

Welding, large wire-arc metal 3D printing

Cleveland maker of welding equipment and wire that also runs what it calls the world's largest wire-based metal 3D printing platform, printing multi-ton steel and nickel-alloy parts that would otherwise wait months for a casting.

26 robotic wire-arc printers in Cleveland run 24/7; one print can reach about an 8-ft cube.
Four Navy co-funded SculptPrint 1500 cells (Oct 2025) print submarine parts for Electric Boat.
Printed a 6,000-lb Soo Locks lever arm in about 3 months against an 18-month casting quote.

lincolnelectric.com (opens lincolnelectric.com)Company profile →

Founded: 1895131 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Public
Listed: LECO (opens google.com)NASDAQ
Valuation: public
Works in: ManufacturingWire & sinter metal printing
Coverage: 1 program · 3 updateslatest 10 Oct 2025checked 11 Oct
Customers: General Dynamics Electric BoatUS Army Corps of Engineers
Partners: Bechtel Plant Machinery
People: Mike WhiteheadPresident, Americas Welding

SculptPrint large-format wire-arc printing

Milestones

Most important updates

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

Beads of molten wire

The part moves too

SculptPrint OS

From rough to exact

Spec sheet

Update log

Fri 10 Oct 2025

Fri 1 Mar 2024

Thu 15 Feb 2024

About Lincoln Electric

Current obstacles

Physics limits

How it works

Beads of molten wire

The part moves too

SculptPrint OS

From rough to exact

Spec sheet

Update log

Fri 10 Oct 2025

Fri 1 Mar 2024

Thu 15 Feb 2024

About Lincoln Electric