Defense is undergoing a major shift. Supply chains are moving from centralized hubs to decentralized production. In this new model, 3D printing plays a key role, but it isn’t the right fit for every situation.
Drones and systems are evolving. They now operate at higher speeds and face greater structural stress. As a result, improving the quality and mechanical properties of their frames is becoming increasingly important.
Roboze is betting that high-performance polymers and composites—printed close to where capability is needed—will replace many metal parts across air, land, sea, and space.
We sat down with Alessio Lorusso, Founder and CEO of Roboze, to talk origins, materials, deployable factories, and what it really takes to use additive manufacturing in defense.
Who Are You, and What Are You Building at Roboze?
I grew up in my father’s machine shop—real manufacturing, hands in grease. Eighteen years ago, I built a 3D printer from scratch: every bolt, every wire, soldering components, even programming firmware in C++.
The previous summer, I’d built an anthropomorphic robotic arm. That deep, hands-on path showed me both the upside and the limits of early additive manufacturing.
Roboze exists to remove those limits and bring industrial-grade 3D printing into production—especially for aerospace and defense.
Why Should Companies Focus on Advanced Polymers and Composites Over Metals?
Because in many high-performance applications, engineered polymers and composites (“superplastics”) can match or exceed metals in weight, lubricity, corrosion resistance, and even mechanical behavior—often with less waste.
Aviation shows the trend: where airframes might have had ~10% composites two decades ago, today it’s approaching ~50%. Chemistry as an industry is young compared to metallurgy; adoption is catching up.
Our thesis is that these materials will continue to displace metals, and Roboze aims to lead that transition.
What Problem Are You Solving for Defense Right Now?
Two fronts:
1. Design & Weight—consolidating multi-piece assemblies into lighter monolithic composite parts that are faster to build and cheaper at first install.
2. Sustainment—Digitizing inventories and producing hard-to-source spare parts for aging fleets — think legacy tanks and airframes — across air, land, maritime, and space domains. After about 15 years, many maintenance components are discontinued and no longer readily available. That’s where 3D printing can be a game changer.
How Big Is Your Decentralized Manufacturing Network?
We operate nearly 18 autonomous, cloud-connected micro-factories across four continents, with machines installed in 25+ countries. Some sites aren’t public due to proximity to military locations.
The model: customers centralize demand with us, and we distribute production to the edge—Nigeria, Japan, and more—running 24/7 with minimal staff. From our hubs in Houston and Italy, we can launch and monitor jobs in Tokyo or Riyadh.
It consolidates the supply chain, reduces failure points, and replaces physical inventory with digital solutions.
Can Roboze Systems Be Deployed Close to the Front Line?
Yes. We’re in active discussions with U.S. and European counterparts and have won a contract with the Italian Navy to deploy near ports and potentially on ships. We’re also in conversations with the European Defence Agency on deployability and dual-use manufacturing.
What’s Special About Argo 1000, One of Your Main Products, in This Context?
ARGO 1000 prints structural composite parts up to 1×1 meters. For drones, we can print a one-meter airframe in about 30 minutes, which changes payload and mission profiles.
It moves the conversation beyond tiny, disposable platforms toward more capable systems produced near the point of need.
Is 3D Printing Still “Too Slow”?
Only if you ignore the end-to-end chain.
For simple geometries, subtractive manufacturing can be 2–4 times faster at the spindle. But do you have the right preform on the shelf? If not, you might wait 2–5 months. Then add post-processing and surface treatments.
On complex shapes, the gap narrows dramatically—and with digital inventory, additive manufacturing often wins on total lead time.
Where Are You Seeing Traction on the Defense Side?
Most programs are under NDA, but our tech is used by multiple MODs—notably in the U.S. and Italy—and by several top global aerospace and defense OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) across air, land, maritime, and space. We only work with the U.S. and aligned allies.
Why Is Adoption Accelerating Now?
Supply-chain fragility and labor demographics. Roughly a third of Western A&D manufacturing workers are 55+; many processes (like composite lay-up) remain highly manual.
Additive manufacturing lets you automate by changing the process itself. In complex aluminum parts, subtractive scrap can hit 60–70%—that’s a cost you can’t ignore.
What About Logistics—Does Additive Manufacturing Really Simplify It?
Yes. You consolidate suppliers, remove points of failure, and dematerialize warehouses: the same feedstock can become many different parts, so you don’t sit on racks of metal preforms.
With autonomous, cloud-connected cells running around the clock, you print on demand where capability is required.
Are you looking for funding?
Roboze is well financed, with venture investors and major industrial families—Ferrari and Peugeot among them.
We may raise more to support aggressive growth, but we’re selective: we look for smart capital that understands defense, space, and energy and adds value beyond the check.
What Are Near-Term Risks, And How Do You De-Risk Them?
The main challenge is tempo. Defense moves faster than before, but not at tech cadence. We partner with fast-moving companies—Saronic, Destinus, Helsing, Quantum Systems—because they deploy quickly and help accelerate qualification and adoption.
Operationally, decentralization spreads risk and removes single points of failure.
If You Were Starting Today, What Would You Do Differently?
I’d look for a seasoned mentor on Day 1. In my first four to five years, I lacked someone to call about fundraising, go-to-market, and business development. That would have saved time and prevented mistakes. Now I try to be that person for the founders I back.