Published 07/07/2025

Cornerstone adopts new name, expands AM assets with Roboze Argo 1000 Hypermelt

Now CRG Defense, the firm is expanding its role as a defense tech platform with the ability to produce aerospace-grade polymer and composite parts at scale.

Edited by: Grace Stubbins

Senior Managing Editor, CompositesWorld and Products Finishing

Defense innovation company Cornerstone Research Group Inc. (CRG, Miamisburg, Ohio, U.S.) is adopting a new name, CRG Defense, to reflect the company’s evolution into a next-gen defense tech platform business, one that integrates problem-solving, product development and manufacturing to (learn more below). Alongside this announcement, CRG Defense has become the second U.S. company to acquire the Argo 1000 Hypermelt a large-format 3D printer from Italian manufacturer Roboze (Bari). The system enhances CRG Defense’s ability to produce aerospace-grade polymer and composite parts at scale and serves as a new asset for partners seeking to enter or grow within the U.S. defense and aerospace sectors.

The Argo 1000 Hypermelt uses fused granulate fabrication (FGF) to produce high-performance thermoplastic components with accuracy and repeatability. Its build volume of 1,000 × 1,000 × 1,000 millimeters (~ 39 × 39 × 39 inches) enables the production of large, complex parts and assemblies that meet demanding aerospace requirements. According to 3D Printing Industry, the Hypermelt uses “a broad spectrum of advanced materials, super polymers like PEKK and Ultem 9085, composites like carbon fiber-filled PEEK and PA, elastomers, recycled materials and bio-based polymers.”

“This gives us immediate production capability while we continue developing our next-generation additive manufacturing [AM] technologies,” says Ian Fuller, strategic director and AM mission area lead at CRG Defense. “It also allows us to support organizations that want to bring advanced materials, such as fiber-reinforced PEEK, PEK and PEI, into secure production environments without building that infrastructure from scratch.”

The acquisition builds on CRG Defense’s ongoing $2.5 million U.S. Air Force contract to design a large, ultra high-temperature 3D printing system for future aerospace applications. That project, funded by the Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office, focuses on producing components capable of withstanding extreme operating conditions at a scale previously not achievable with AM.

From CRG to CRG Defense

“When I started CRG in my basement in 1997, it was just me, the dream of creating a different type of defense business and a lot of drive,” says Pat Hood, CEO and founder. “Today, we’re a team of more than 100 people who develop technologies and deliver innovative products and services that protect and empower those who serve.”

Over the past two decades, CRG has earned a reputation for technical excellence across advanced materials, aerosystems, power and energy, sensors and human performance. With a growing portfolio of proprietary technologies and a commitment to scaling production capabilities, CRG Defense says it is well-positioned to be a key player in the nation’s defense industrial base.

While the company’s name is changing, its purpose remains steadfast: to deliver advanced solutions to government customers that improve operational effectiveness, protect lives and support national defense through innovation and collaboration.

“CRG Defense represents a new chapter in our growth,” adds Hood. “We are a platform company poised for rapid growth and ready to meet the evolving needs of our Department of Defense customers with speed, innovation and purpose.”

The company is opening its new headquarters building in Miami Township on July 15, 2025.

In parallel, CRG Defense says the Argo 1000 Hypermelt provides a fully operational, production-ready solution that can meet today’s manufacturing needs in defense, aerospace and adjacent industries such as oil and gas, motorsports and automotive.

CRG Defense offers more than technical capability; it also provides a fast track into defense manufacturing. With existing contract vehicles, long-standing partnerships and a secure, U.S.-based production environment, the company enables commercial innovators and foreign-friendly firms to transition their technologies into government programs without starting from scratch.

In addition, the company highlights its compression molding expertise for fiber-reinforced primary aerospace structures. Some of the platforms over the years include the XRQ-73 Shepard, Raytheon Mald J, Bombardier Global, GA SkyGuardian, SpaceX Falcon 9, V-22 Osprey, Airbus A380, Pilatus PC-24, CH-53K, Boeing EcoDemonstrator and more.