Member Spotlight: Sixpenny Additive
When David Nolan founded Sixpenny Additive, he wasn't looking to build another narrowly focused additive manufacturing service provider. He was trying to solve a problem he encountered firsthand: finding a practical, technology neutral resource that could help organizations navigate Canada's growing additive manufacturing landscape.
"There's lots of laser powder bed shops that just do that," says Nolan. "But that's not the end of the landscape."
As he explored the industry, Nolan recognized that accelerating additive manufacturing adoption requires more than access to equipment. Different processes serve different applications, from laser powder bed fusion for high-resolution metal components to wire-laser directed energy deposition, WAAM, hybrid manufacturing, machining, and post-processing for larger or more industrial parts. For many organizations, the challenge is not simply finding someone who can print a part. It is understanding which process is appropriate, what the business case looks like, how the part should be designed, and what it will take to qualify the technology for real-world use.
That realization shaped Sixpenny Additive's mission. The company combines additive manufacturing services, technology partnerships, engineering support, application development and industry engagement to help organizations reduce the technical and commercial risk associated with adopting these new manufacturing technologies.
One of the biggest challenges Nolan continues to encounter is awareness.
"A lot of people still ask, 'Is it the same as real metal?'" he explains.
While additive manufacturing has advanced significantly, many organizations remain unfamiliar with its capabilities and struggle to access opportunities to evaluate the technology before making major investments.
“The technology is ready in more places than people realize,” he says. “The gap now is application development, qualification, and confidence.”
Looking ahead, Nolan sees opportunity not only in aerospace, defence, energy, tooling, and industrial manufacturing, but also in an area that is less often discussed: architecture.
Sixpenny Additive is exploring how metal additive manufacturing can be used to create large-scale public art, architectural features, custom connectors, and complex geometries that would be difficult or costly to produce using traditional methods. For Nolan, these applications are not separate from industrial adoption. They are an early proving ground where design ambition, fabrication knowledge, and advanced manufacturing can intersect.
Current projects include large-scale sculptural installations and collaborations that blend advanced manufacturing with artistic design.
For Nolan, however, the technology itself is only part of the story.
"Additive manufacturing is coming," he says. "I don't think enough is being done to help usher it in. So here I am."
Through collaboration, education, and a commitment to advancing Canada's manufacturing capabilities, Sixpenny Additive is helping organizations move from curiosity to practical adoption — and helping shape what comes next.
If you want to learn more – check our Sixpenny’s website or connect with them on LinkedIn!
