Inside Portside: expanding our Manufacturing Capability
Inside Portside: Expanding Our Manufacturing Capability
Demand for large, high-integrity metal components continues to grow across defence, energy, maritime and other critical industries. While conventional casting and forging remain well established, they can become impractical for low-volume production, obsolete components or parts featuring complex geometries.
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) provides an alternative route, reducing dependence on tooling, shortening lead times and improving supply chain resilience.
DEEP Manufacturing was established to meet those challenges. As customer requirements continue to evolve, so too does our Bristol Centre of Excellence. Recent investments at our Portside facility have expanded both our manufacturing capacity and the range of services we can provide under one roof.
Expanding production capacity
To support a broader range of manufacturing requirements, we've expanded one of Europe's largest concentrations of large-scale WAAM systems with an additional two-axis manipulator, a new fixed-table system and a dedicated enclosed cell.
Together, these additions increase our capacity for large-scale metal additive manufacturing while providing greater flexibility to produce components with complex geometries, challenging overhangs and application-specific manufacturing requirements. The enclosed cell also provides a dedicated manufacturing environment for confidential projects and applications requiring enhanced environmental control.
From deposition to finished component
The latest addition to the Bristol facility is a DMG MORI DMF 300|11 five-axis CNC machining centre. With a 3,000 mm × 1,100 mm × 1,050 mm work envelope, simultaneous five-axis machining and a 6-tonne table capacity, the system supports the post-processing of large, high-integrity components while maintaining the precision required for demanding applications.
Bringing CNC machining in-house reduces reliance on external suppliers and provides greater control over quality, lead times and delivery. Alongside our WAAM, fabrication, inspection and testing capabilities, this helps us move more efficiently from near-net shape print to finished component, all in one facility.
Supporting more complex fabrication
Further strengthening our hybrid manufacturing capability is the Rollerbot 2.0. This gantry-mounted robotic system is designed for automated internal and external welding of large structures.
With the ability to manufacture components up to 3 metres in diameter, travel 13 metres along the Y-axis and support structures weighing up to 20 tonnes, the Rollerbot expands the range and scale of components that can be produced and finished at the facility.
Built for customer requirements
Each addition to the Portside facility has been made with a clear objective: to help customers manufacture large-scale, high-integrity metal components more efficiently and with greater confidence.
From Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing capacity and hybrid manufacturing to in-house CNC machining and inspection, these investments strengthen an integrated workflow that will reduce lead times, improve supply chain resilience and support certified manufacturing across defence, energy, maritime, aerospace and other critical industries.
As manufacturing challenges continue to evolve, so too will our capabilities. By investing in new technologies and developing our expertise, we're continuing to build a manufacturing Centre of Excellence that helps customers overcome today's production challenges, whilst also preparing for tomorrow's.
Explore our manufacturing capabilities or speak to our engineering team to discuss your next project.
We have an event coming up at our Bristol facility on 15th September 2026. If you are interested in attending to explore our capabilities, please get in touch at enquiries@deepmanufacturing.com
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