Advanced manufacturing in the defense sector: the strategic role of electrical discharge machining and additive manufacturing

The defense sector is undergoing an unprecedented transformation driven by the need for in-house industrial capabilities, more agile logistics cycles, and greater operational autonomy in the face of unpredictable geopolitical scenarios. In this context, the incorporation of advanced technologies—such as the new ONA AV100 with a 1000 mm cutting height, unique in Europe—reflects the qualitative leap that the industry is undergoing in order to respond to these demands. Manufacturers such as General Dynamics European Land Systems– Santa Bárbara Sistemas (GDELS-SBS), Sicnova, Airbus Defence & Space, Navantia, Indra, and other strategic integrators require technologies capable of offering maximum precision, assured repeatability, and immediate availability, well above conventional industry standards.

Wire EDM: precision and reliability essential in defense

Wire EDM plays a central role in the manufacture and maintenance of military systems due to its ability to work with extremely demanding materials, maintain micrometric tolerances, and ensure maximum dimensional stability. Materials such as titanium, Inconel, nickel superalloys, and ballistic steels present considerable difficulties for conventional machining due to their hardness, thermal resistance, or low conductivity. EDM overcomes these limitations thanks to a process based on electrical discharge that does not generate stresses or mechanical forces, maintaining the integrity of the part.

Strategic capabilities of additive manufacturing in defense

Additive manufacturing has established itself as a high-impact technology in defense, especially in maintenance, advanced production, and logistical support. Its ability to reduce lead times, optimize designs, and manufacture in a decentralized manner makes it a strategic tool.

One of its main benefits is the reduction in spare parts delivery times, allowing parts to be manufactured in a matter of hours or days, eliminating dependence on single suppliers or extensive logistics chains and improving the availability of systems such as armored vehicles, aircraft, or deployable equipment. In addition, it allows the creation of complex and optimized geometries, such as lightweight components with lattice structures, parts with internal channels for fluids or cooling, or geometries that are impossible to machine conventionally, resulting in improvements in weight, strength, thermal management, and operational performance.

Another key aspect is manufacturing within the country or at forward operating bases, which allows spare parts to be produced during operations, reducing the need for strategic transport and increasing the self-sufficiency of the armed forces. The creation of a “digital warehouse” with 3D models of spare parts eliminates the need for large physical inventories, prevents obsolescence, and improves the sustainability of the logistics cycle. Likewise, additive manufacturing allows obsolete parts to be reproduced through reverse engineering and functional validation, ensuring operational continuity without relying on external suppliers.

ONA EDM: a strategic technology partner for European defense

ONA EDM has consolidated its position as a key supplier of advanced solutions in the field of electrical discharge machining and industrial additive manufacturing. Its machines enable the processing of highly demanding materials with micrometric tolerances, impeccable finishes, and thermal stability, even in large components. Its 3D printing and post-processing solutions facilitate the production of prototypes, spare parts, and short runs on demand, strengthening the logistical resilience and industrial responsiveness of manufacturers and military maintenance centers.

Manufacturers and strategic institutions have relied on ONA to strengthen their industrial capabilities. Among them is Indra, one of the strategic players in the Spanish defense sector, which already has an ONA AV35 NEXT wire EDM machine at its facilities, consolidating its commitment to precision, reliability, and industrial autonomy.

ONA’s role is not limited to the supply of machinery: its collaborative and tailor-made approach makes it a partner of choice for the current and future needs of the European defense industry.

ONA develops the first wire EDM machine with an operating height of 1000 mm in Europe for Novaindef

The commitment to advanced manufacturing in Spain has been strengthened thanks to Sicnova and its subsidiary Novaindef, which have created a specialized center in Linares to offer high-tech industrial solutions to military platforms and public entities. The center integrates metal and polymer 3D printing, precision machining, heat treatment, reverse engineering, and wire and penetration EDM.

As part of this strategy, Novaindef has incorporated a unique piece of equipment: the ONA AV100 with a cutting height of Z = 1000 mm, the first machine in the world capable of performing wire EDM with a full meter of working height. This feature represents a historic technological leap in the EDM sector, positioning Novaindef as the only center in Europe with this machining capability.

The machine is not a standard model: it was developed specifically by ONA’s R&D department at the request of Novaindef, responding to a growing challenge in the industry: the need to manufacture and post-process increasingly large parts from additive manufacturing technologies, especially in defense and aeronautics. The AV100 Z1000 solves a critical bottleneck in this transition to large components, enabling deep, stable, and high-precision cuts on parts that until now required fragmented or impossible-to-address processes.

In addition to this unique machine, Novaindef also operates an ONA AV60, reinforcing its versatility and ability to handle a wide range of high-precision projects. With these solutions, Novaindef has become a national benchmark in advanced manufacturing, capable of producing prototypes, spare parts, and short runs autonomously, quickly, and with the highest quality.

GDELS-SBS & Novaindef Center of Excellence:enhanced industrial capabilities

The alliance between GDELS–Santa Bárbara Sistemas and Novaindef has given rise to the Center of Excellence in Advanced Manufacturing in Alcalá de Guadaíra, a facility offering comprehensive production, maintenance, and technical support capabilities to strengthen the operational autonomy of Spanish defense. The center incorporates metal additive manufacturing, CNC machining, thermal and surface post-processing, reverse engineering, advanced metrology, and high-precision electroerosion technologies. Among these, the ONA AV60 stands out once again, essential for ensuring precise cuts, micrometric tolerances, and complete dimensional stability in strategic components.

This center acts as a driving force for innovation, integrating technology SMEs and research centers into a collaborative ecosystem that promotes industrial sovereignty and positions Spain to lead major European projects in advanced manufacturing from 2026 onwards.

AM Village: a strategic European space for advanced manufacturing in defense

AM Village, organized by the European Defense Agency (EDA) together with the Air and Space Force and various European actors, has established itself as a leading technical forum for evaluating and validating advanced manufacturing technologies applied to defense. The next edition will be held from March 16 to 20, 2026, at the Albacete Air Base, reinforcing its practical and operational approach to testing deployable technologies and real-world scenarios for use in European defense capabilities. ONA EDM actively participated in the preparatory meeting, contributing its experience in electroerosion and additive manufacturing and helping to define criteria for precision, post-processing, and reliability for integration into real operations. The company will be present at the March edition, showcasing how its solutions enable the manufacture of critical components and prototypes with high precision, contributing to logistical sustainability, advanced maintenance, and operational autonomy. AM Village promotes collaboration between industry, the armed forces, and technology centers, accelerating the validation of new capabilities and contributing to the development of a more autonomous and resilient European ecosystem.

The adoption of electrical discharge machining and additive manufacturing technologies is transforming the defense industry, providing manufacturers and armed forces with greater autonomy, speed, and precision. ONA EDM, with unique solutions such as the AV100 Z1000 developed for Novaindef, the AV60, and the trust placed in it by strategic players such as Indra with the AV35 NEXT, is positioning itself as a key technology partner for the coming years. The combination of high-precision machining capabilities and industrial additive manufacturing strengthens logistical resilience and places Spain and Europe in a privileged position to lead the new generation of advanced manufacturing applied to the defense sector.