South Korea’s Defense sector benefits from 60% lighter components

This case study between AM Solutions and the South Korean defense sector showcases how Meltio’s technology is enabling the development of lightweight, high-performance components for tactical applications, in this case, optimizing the ice cleat (or snow pad) used in the K2 Black Panther main battle tank.

AM Solutions, one of the official partners of Meltio in South Korea, specializes in delivering modular additive manufacturing systems and solutions tailored for industries like aerospace, energy, shipbuilding, and defense. As part of an R&D initiative, AM Solutions collaborated with military logistics units to drastically improve the efficiency, ergonomics, and sustainability of critical tank components using Meltio’s metal 3D printing technology.

Challenging environments demand tougher solutions

K2 Black Panther tanks operate in extreme environments, especially during winter tactical missions. In these conditions, the rubber pads usually mounted on tank tracks must be replaced by metal ice cleats (snow pads) to provide grip on frozen terrain.

These metal pads, weighing nearly 12 kg per unit, create substantial physical strain for soldiers who must install or remove 30–50 units per vehicle within tight time constraints. The excessive weight also affects the overall operational efficiency of the tank.

A new lightweight snow pad to solve old problems

To overcome the limitations of conventional snow pads, AM Solutions leveraged the Meltio M600 system, which uses Laser Wire Directed Energy Deposition (LW-DED) technology to manufacture and test a lightweight redesign of the component.

Using a honeycomb structure optimized for additive manufacturing, the team reduced the weight of the snow pad from 10.74 kg to 4.26 kg, a 60% reduction. The redesigned part maintained all mechanical properties required to withstand the heavy load and stress imposed by the tank in operation.

In addition, the redesign included enhancements for terrain-specific performance by integrating features inspired by tread patterns and global case studies. The result was a structurally sound, application-optimized component, fabricated without tooling, molds, or post-processing.

Key Features

• Honeycomb structure optimized for AM
• Weight reduction from 10.74 kg to 4.26 kg
• Maintaining mechanical properties
• Enhancements for terrain-specific performance
• Fabricated without tooling, molds, or post-processing

Original Part

Redesigned Part

Why Choose Meltio?

• Over 60% weight reduction: Minimizes physical burden on soldiers and improves tank energy efficiency
• No tooling required: Enables rapid prototyping and design iterations
• On-demand production: Reduces inventory and supports real-time logistics
• Wire-based DED process: High material utilization (up to 99%) and minimal waste
• Repairability: Damaged parts can be selectively repaired instead of replaced
• Scalability:Three pads produced simultaneously in one print cycle
• Improved fuel efficiency: ~0.64% improvement in field trials

Finished part in situ

Same functionality, greater efficiency

To overcome the limitations of conventional snow pads, AM Solutions leveraged the Meltio M600 system, which uses Laser Wire Directed Energy Deposition (LW-DED) technology to manufacture and test a lightweight redesign of the component.