What specifications can rp+m manufacture to?

rp+m manufactures against industry-standard specifications including NPS 89085 and AMS 7100 / AMS 7101, as well as customer-derived specifications from defense prime contractors. If your program references a specific specification or calls out a qualified processor requirement, contact us directly and we can confirm applicability.

What does your quality process look like?

Every order includes a job traveler with full process documentation, first article inspection for new configurations, calibrated inspection equipment, and source inspection readiness where required. We are AS9100D certified and maintain active qualified processor status with defense prime contractors.

What industries does rp+m serve?

Our work is concentrated in defense and aerospace. In 2025, these industries represented over 96% of our manufacturing volume. We are not a general-purpose additive manufacturing provider.

Do you support design or engineering services?

rp+m does not provide design or engineering services. We manufacture to the technical data package. However, we do provide manufacturability feedback during the pre-quote process and work collaboratively with engineering teams to identify potential issues before production begins. Our role is manufacturing partner, not design firm.

What is your typical lead time?

Lead times vary significantly based on job size, quantity, and post-processing requirements. For an accurate timeline on your specific requirements, please contact us directly.

Capabilities
Additive Manufacturing Capabilities Built for Defense and Aerospace Production

rp+m is a specialized thermoplastic additive manufacturing partner operating within regulated, specification-driven defense and aerospace supply chains. Our capabilities are designed around one standard: deliver quality parts that meet your parts requirements. And if something on the drawing creates risk, we tell you before we quote.

Our solutions extend beyond machine time. We bring the process knowledge, specification fluency, engineering collaboration, and quality infrastructure needed to support defense production programs from first article through sustained delivery.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) / Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF)

rp+m performs in-house FDM, also known as FFF, using Stratasys Fortus 900-series platforms. That platform consistency isn't incidental — it's what makes repeatable, specification-compliant output possible.. That's why we've standardized on Stratasys Fortus 900-series platforms across our entire production environment.

FDM/FFF is a mature thermoplastic additive manufacturing process well-suited to defense and aerospace production environments when executed with the right materials, controlled parameters, and process discipline. rp+m has spent years developing and refining the process controls that make this possible at production scale. And gathering the data and testing that validated FDM's reliability for defense applications at the specification level.

FDM/FFF is not an approximation process at RP+M. It's a controlled manufacturing method, one that meets demanding specifications when properly characterized, documented, and maintained.

Standardized Platform

Stratasys Fortus 900-series across all production equipment, delivering consistent parameters and consistent output.

Controlled Build Environment

Process parameters are characterized and maintained against qualification requirements.

Documented Repeatability

Every job runs against established process controls with traceability from order to shipment.

Specified-Refeerence Execution

Parts are manufactured against industry and customer-specific specifications, not general best practices.

ULTEM™ 9085: The Material of Choice for Defense and Aerospace

The majority of rp+m's defense and aerospace production work is performed using ULTEM™ 9085, a high-performance, flame-retardant polyetherimide (PEI) thermoplastic manufactured by SABIC.

Our familiarity with ULTEM™ 9085 is not incidental. rp+m led the foundational testing and data validation project that produced the report underpinning the published specifications for this material's use in defense additive manufacturing applications. That history gives us a depth of material knowledge that goes beyond published datasheets.

rp+m served as the production facility for the America Makes ULTEM™ 9085 qualification program — the multi-year effort funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense that generated the foundational material property data behind today's defense additive manufacturing specifications. That program established that FFF systems can deliver repeatable, statistically consistent results under controlled conditions.

Why We Use ULTEM 9085:

Flame retardant

Meeting FAA requirements for smoke, flame, and toxicity

High strength-to-weight ratio

The broadest validated data set

Supporting qualification in defense environments of any material in this class

Referenced in key defense

Additive manufacturing specifications for NMS085 and AMS70101

Consistent

Well-characterized behavior across Stratasys Fortus 900-series platforms

Download Our Material Data Sheet

Beyond the Build: Post-Processing Capabilities

A manufactured part is rarely finished when it leaves the printer. rp+m offers the post-processing capabilities required to deliver parts that meet final drawing requirements, reducing the handoffs, coordination burden, and risk that come with managing multiple vendors for a single part.

CNC Machining

Machining after printing allows us to achieve the required dimensional accuracy, meeting tight callouts without requiring a drawing change.

Finishing

Surface finishing to meet cosmetic and functional drawing requirements.

Painting

Applied to mil-spec and mil-pref standards where specified on the drawing, with full documentation of materials and process.

Hardware Installation

Installation of threaded inserts, fasteners, and other hardware specified on the drawing, including guidance on insert selection optimized for thermoplastic additive parts.

Assembly

Integration of printed components with procured hardware or sub-components per drawing requirements, including labeling and marking per contract requirements.

Specification Compliance:
We Speak the Language of Defense Manufacturing

For defense and aerospace buyers, capability without specification compliance is not capability at all. rp+m manufactures against industry-standard and customer-derived specifications, and our team understands those specifications at a level that goes beyond procedural compliance.

Industry Standard Specifications

rp+m manufactures to the following published specifications, among others:

NPS 89085

Published through the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), with the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance (NCAMP) as specification custodian. rp+m led the foundational testing and data validation project that produced the report underpinning this specification.

AMS 7100 and AMS 7101

Published by SAE International. AMS 7100 covers the fused filament fabrication process; AMS 7101 covers the material. Both standards are derived from and aligned with the technical foundation established by NPS 89085.

Customer-Derived Specifications

Many defense prime contractors maintain their own internal additive manufacturing specifications, separate from and often more demanding than published industry standards. RP+M has experience manufacturing against customer-specific specifications and qualification requirements, including documentation, process validation, and audit support.

Certifications and Registrations

CMMC Level 1 Self-Certified

Cybersecurity compliance baseline for defense supply chain participants under the DoD's Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification framework. Level 2 certification target: Fall 2026.

D-U-N-S / UEI Registered

Registered with Dun & Bradstreet for federal procurement purposes. SXMLNBLSEUZ6

Qualified Processor Status

rp+m maintains active qualified processor status with major defense prime contractors, including Boeing, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin. Qualification is not a one-time event. It requires ongoing audits, process validation, and demonstrated performance against established criteria. We support these audit requirements as a routine part of how we operate.

Quality Process:
Built Into Every Job, Not Added at the End

rp+m's quality process is not a final inspection step. It is integrated into every stage of manufacturing, designed to meet the documentation and traceability requirements of defense procurement, including source inspection readiness on every applicable order.

Job Travelers

Every order is accompanied by a job traveler which/that documents routing steps, process parameters, and inspection checkpoints, providing a complete, auditable record of how the part was made.

First Article Inspection (FAI)

New parts and new configurations are subject to first article inspection performed in accordance with AS9102, validating that the manufactured part conforms to all drawing requirements before production quantities are released.

Calibration and Measurement Control

All measuring instruments are maintained in a calibration library with current certifications on file. This calibration program is a requirement of our AS9100D certification and ensures measurement accuracy and traceability across every order.

Source Inspection Readiness

For programs requiring source inspection, rp+m coordinates with customer representatives or designated third parties, ensuring documentation, parts, and process records are complete and in order before any inspection occurs.

DPAS Compliance

rp+m understands and operates under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System (DPAS) rating requirements, managing job scheduling to meet contractual priority requirements across concurrent orders.

Engineering Collaboration:
We Engage Before We Quote

Before rp+m quotes a job, we review your complete technical data package and specifications. This ensures 100% on time delivery to the customer requirement.

We have helped engineering teams catch issues before they required a drawing change. In defense programs, avoiding a drawing change can save months of approvals and prevent ripple effects across an entire assembly.

This stage is not a sales pitch. Collaboration is a key part of how we work. We would rather tell you about a concern during the quote process than deliver a part that creates a problem at receiving inspection.

What Engineering Collaboration Looks Like at rp+m:

Complete technical data package review following contracted and specification review prior to quoting
Identification of tolerance callouts that may require machining after printing, with clear communication and proposed solutions
Recommendations on hardware, inserts, and fastener compatibility for thermoplastic additive parts
Manufacturability feedback during program development phases, including test part production at reduced cost to validate design assumptions
Ongoing technical communication throughout the production relationship

Frequently Asked Questions

The majority of our defense and aerospace production work uses ULTEM™ 9085, a high-performance, flame-retardant thermoplastic widely used in defense applications. We have deep process experience with this material and contributed to the specification development that governs its use in defense manufacturing environments.

In addition to polyetherimides, we specialize in electrostatic dissipative (ESD) materials to support electronic housing, assembly fixtures, and specialized handling components. Specifically, we manufacture with ABS-ESD7, an ESD-safe thermoplastic that prevents static electricity buildup and protects sensitive electronic components from static discharge during operation or assembly.

rp+m Adds Machine Capacity to Support Growing Demand for Production Printing

Sep. 14, 2020

Manufacturing features rp+m President, Tracy Albers

Dec. 02, 2019

rp+m and partners awarded a prestigous Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Award

Ready to Discuss Your Program Requirements?

If you are evaluating additive manufacturing partners for a defense or aerospace program, or if you have a drawing and want to understand whether rp+m is the right fit, the best next step is to reach out. We review all inquiries to confirm scope and fit before quoting.

Request a Quote

Capabilities Additive Manufacturing Capabilities Built for Defense and Aerospace Production