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For much of the additive manufacturing industry’s history, software has been treated as an accessory, an interface layer wrapped around machines, materials, and motion systems. In recent years, many companies have labeled themselves “SaaS-enabled,” but the underlying operating model has remained largely transactional. The pattern has been simple: sell the hardware, license the software, and move on. That model is no longer sufficient.

This week’s passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) marks an inflection point for advanced manufacturing in the United States. For the first time, additive manufacturing is formally codified as critical infrastructure within the Department of Defense, governed by clear standards around security, provenance, qualification, and scale.