How a Suppressor is Made – A look at materials, construction, and design
May 1, 2025Posted by derrek.sigler
A silencer starts out as an idea, followed by research and development into size, caliber ratings, materials, and use. You don’t get to be the producer of one of the finest suppressors on the market without doing the homework. That work doesn’t stop when it comes to the production line. Every part of the build process for each silencer is carefully examined by skilled professionals to ensure you have a suppressor that will last a lifetime and beyond.
We partnered up with BANISH Suppressors to see how the team there produces their suppressors. There are some other innovative cans being made by other partner companies, like Dead Air. We will cover those too. There are two main construction techniques in play when it comes to suppressor construction - welding and additive manufacturing/3D printing.
Understanding Suppressor Welding Techniques
Welding, when done right, is an art form. Not all welds are created equal, which is why we take special care in not only designing our process, but who we have do the actual weld. It’s all part of quality, and we believe in quality.
There are several different techniques that are commonly used in welding processes, but not all of them are applicable when it comes to the construction of a BANISH silencer. Here are the two types we commonly use:
Laser Welding - This is what we use on BANISH and what the industry is moving towards. It provides a much more consistent and repeatable welding process which aids in precision and accuracy reducing quality issues such as voids or cold weld which can lead to potential failure. Laser welding also produces less chance of metallurgical distortion after welding, which can happen in other forms of welds. It is 5-10 times faster and is less hands-on, reducing the risk of error
TIG Welding - TIG Welding is Tungsten Inert Gas welding and many manufacturers use this type of welding because of it not needing filler rods or material. Using gas adds a safeguard to contaminating the weld point, which is an issue that is becoming less frequent thanks to TIG becoming more widely used
Material Selection and Impact on Weld Quality
When it comes to suppressors and welding, it all comes down to the types of metals being used in the construction process. The harder a metal is, usually measured on the Rockwell scale, determines how a metal is going to be welded and the technique that best suits the project. Harder metals, like titanium and Inconel, require different techniques that soften metals like stainless steel.
Titanium - Titanium makes up the bulk of silencer bodies and is known for being lightweight and incredibly durable. It also has a reputation as being hard to work with, but our expert team is well versed in working with titanium. It has a higher melting point and requires a proper environment for welding to avoid contamination, which is likely where its reputation stems from. Titanium welds very well, though, and provides an exceptionally strong bond when done at the right temperature.
Inconel - Inconel falls into a family of nickel-based superalloys known for high resistance to corrosion and oxidation, especially at elevated temperatures, and exceptional strength. The various forms of Inconel are often used in applications where extreme heat, harsh chemical environments, or high stresses are encountered - like suppressors rated for extreme full-auto and duty use. Inconel is a very hard, dense metal and can be harder to work with, making it somewhat less common for use by suppressor companies. There are a few that have mastered it, though.
Stainless steel - Stainless steel is a common metal and is used for several parts within many silencers, as well as some outer parts on select models. Stainless steel is made by combining iron with chromium. The amount of chromium in the alloy is what makes welding with stainless a bit tricky depending upon the welder. The same elements that give stainless steel its anti-corrosion properties also tend to make it a little softer metal, which makes welding stainless steel a little tricky. The temperature of the welds is critical for good adhesion and to avoid voids in the weld, but since these companies know exactly what form of stainless they use, this isn’t an issue.
Aluminum - While aluminum has its place in select products, it is not as commonly used in silencers, especially welded silencers like BANISH. Aluminum is lighter than steel and retains less heat that steel. It is also more forgiving than steel and absorbs more vibration. Due to the makeup of aluminum, to get the same strength as steel, you generally have to use more of it. The reason you rarely find aluminum used in silencers is mostly due to heat. Aluminum retains less heat than steel, but how it reacts to heat is a different story. It cannot take rapid fire, as it has a tendency to warp. You get roughly ten shots before you need to let an aluminum suppressor cool down, otherwise you risk a catastrophic failure.
Additive Manufacturing and 3-D printing
The new Dead Air RDX 22Ti is built using additive manufacturing and was co-designed with Ruger.
One of the latest tends that is rapidly gaining in popularity for suppressor construction is additive manufacturing. This is very similar to 3-D printing in that powdered metals, including titanium and Inconel, are formed by layers and connected with a high-density laser to bond them as strong as a regular forged piece of Titanium, etc. There are some key bonuses to using this kind of process, and a few drawbacks.
On the plus side:
Rapid prototyping - A design can go from idea to functional test model is a very short amount of time. This allows for changes to be requested, designed, tested and implemented at speeds unlike any before.
Shorter design-to-production time - Once a product design is finalized, production can start right away, allowing suppressor companies to respond to market demand very quickly
Production control - In most cases, switching production runs is a simple matter of switching computer programs. If a model is doing very well, production can be ramped up much easier than with a standard assembly line.
Weight and strength - Suppressors made in this fashion tend to be lighter in weight and overall very strong, especially when done using Inconel materials.
On the downside:
Initial investment - As you might imagine, these machines are not cheap and represent a significant investment for production. This is likely the biggest limiting factor.
Complicated designs - The more intricate the design, the longer it takes to run the product. When there are fewer machines capable of production runs, it can slow the process of getting a new can to the market.
Serviceability - Many of the designs are not user serviceable with removable baffles, etc. This requires a different type of cleaning process. For most of us, it isn't a big deal, but a few might find it tricky.
Some of the hottest new suppressors on the market are made using this kind of design and production. Take a look at the BANISH 9K, BANISH Speed K, and the Dead Air x Ruger RDX 30Ti. These are also the models that define buzz in the suppressor world, as they are hot topics and in demand. There are more things coming too. I've seen a few that will be available shortly and let me tell you - you're going to placing orders. I know I am.
Multiple Materials in Same Silencer
While some may use a single material for the entire construction of the suppressor, not all silencers are not made that way. For example, BANISH engineers will use whatever material is best for the overall performance of the silencer. The engineers are highly skilled at ensuring our materials all work in unison to perfect the process of suppressing your firearm. They have a rigorous testing process that ensures this. What this means for you is some peace of mind in knowing that every material that is used in your silencer is there because it is the best performing option for that model.
Engineering Durable Suppressors
It all starts with a concept that serves as an answer to a question - What do we want the silencer to do? It can be a simple answer, such as we want a silencer to lower the decibel rating below the threshold for hearing damage, and have it work for any firearm in the .30-caliber range and below. From there, we design the can to meet those basic criteria, and meet other standards we set for weight, materials, durability and maintenance. We then create samples which are put through rigorous testing before our customers ever see the product.
There are also factors that come from silencer models that are made for a specific use. For example, the BANISH Backcountry silencer was designed for hunters looking for a silencer that is lighter and compact for reduce weight while hiking into deep country hunting situations. It had to be extremely durable because of the terrain, too. The Backcountry utilizes six baffles that drop the decibel level down to 135 dB, yet it only weighs 7.8oz and is rated to handle up to a .300 Remington Ultra Magnum cartridge.
Another example is the BANISH Speed K, which was designed in partnership with Federal Premium Ammunition as a lightweight, ultra-compact silencer for law enforcement duty rifles. It is just four inches long and is made from durable Inconel. The goal here was a silencer that won't interfere with fast movements in tactical situations, yet allow hearing protection for officers when they need it most. These are two examples of use-specific silencers that required extreme testing and development to ensure functionality in the most extreme environments. The BANISH team told me they are proud of is the fact that every product they make meets these same standards.
Why are BANISH Welds Less Likely to Fail?
Again, talking to the BANISH Suppressors team, they take their construction process very seriously. When you buy a BANISH silencer, you can feel good about the purchase because they sweat every detail of the construction process. What makes BANISH welds less likely to fail? They told me how their quality control team uses strict adherence to metrology, which is the science of measurement, embracing both experimental and theoretical determinations at any level of uncertainty in any field of science and technology. This includes pulling apart units, weld testing and metallurgy tests for exact standards.
Highest quality materials from the start
Full weld penetration for durability
Repeatability from the automated laser welding process ensures each meets the standard
Cut apart weld testing on random production units
Metallurgical analysis on every batch of 500 units
Lifetime warranty - They stand behind their product
How are Welded Suppressors Engineered to Make Them more Durable?
Have you ever heard the tale of the welding shop that put out a sign saying “Help Wanted - Welders. Pay $15 an hour.” A guy goes into the shop to apply and is asked to do a welding test. He completes two different welds. The first is a decent weld. Everything holds, and the piece would pass inspection. The second weld is flawless almost to the point of being artistic. The shop owners looked at the welds and were ecstatic about the second example. They ask the welder why he did two samples. “The first one,” he said, “is a $15 an hour weld. The second one is $30 an hour.”
This is a story about several virtues, one being knowing what you and your product are worth, what it means to do work that meets your highest standard, and knowing quality when you see it. When it comes to a suppressor, you want the best design, materials, welds, and process you can get. The most successful companies design their products to the highest standard of quality, and then use skilled workers and the best equipment to produce the silencer to meet that standard every single time. And some, like BANISH, back that up with a lifetime warranty against failures caused by design and construction.
BANISH Suppressor Weld Testing and Quality Control
It is one thing to say that their welds are superior, but they back it up and test it repeatedly to prove it. Their welds don't pass by being "good enough." They pass by being perfect.
BANISH Suppressors' Weld Testing Process
Every BANISH silencer is fully inspected before it leave the factory. The brand also does metallurgical tests on every production run for quality. This comes straight from Lukas VanLaecken, BANISH Suppressors Director of Engineering:
The silencer is cut in half and the weld locations are then micro-etched. Three different weld locations are examined in the unetched and etched conditions under 17x magnification according to Class A per AWS D17.1/D17.1M:2017
metallurgical analysis is done to ensure the weld hasn't weakened the materials.
Quality control steps ensure we are shipping out silencers with strong welds.
Every batch of 500 suppressors is checked per the above process. This ensures that no weld settings changed and that each batch is verified.
Some more from the BANISH team:
Compliance with ISO9001 Standards - ISO 9001 is the globally-recognized standard for quality assurance management. It is the standard every BANISH silencer meets to demonstrate our commitment to quality. By implementing ISO 9001, BANISH has put in place effective processes and trained staff to deliver flawless BANISH silencers time after time.
ISO9001 and its significance in engineering and weld testing - If you pull up the standards for welding and weld testing under ISO9001, the regulations are many and are considered as a special process under the requirements. What does that mean for how BANISH silencers are engineered and tested? Because of what a silencer is and what it is used for, the strictest guideline applies, meaning the testing individuals are trained in ISO9001 standards, and that the products have to withstand the scrutiny of independent review.
How BANISH Complies with IS09001 - Not only does BANISH have testers trained in specific requirements, they document every test for review. This ensures that every BANISH silencer passes every level for weld quality, metallurgical quality, and assurance testing. The ISO9001 standard uses a Plan - Do - Check - Act methodology for ensuring the processes and documentation are aligned. In other words, they make sure to check and recheck everything along the way and keep complete records to back up the results for every BANISH product.
BANISH follows a strict protocol as a ISO9001-certified manufacturer where they undergo repeated audits, both internally and independently, to ensure they are in complete compliance with all requirements of the ISO 9001 certification. It is a commitment to quality that they adhere to because of a simple ideal - Part of their pledge to simplify the silencer buying experience for our customers must include an assurance that BANISH products are everything they say they are when they leave the warehouse.
Avoiding Recalls and Common Issues - If you start out with the highest standards, and work diligently to ensure that those standards are met every time, you don't have to worry as much about issues that would cause a product failure, or worse, multiple product line failures that cause the need for a recall.
High Standards for Welding, Testing, and Quality Control Processes
What are some common issues or challenges faced by manufacturers? In terms of weld quality, testing procedures, and quality control standards, this is widely unknown as there is very little published information. It could be caused from a variety of factors - contamination on parts during the welding process, incorrect power/temp settings for the proper weld, cold weld, voids, not full penetration, etc. There could be product line testing issues, too, where a company is not cutting its product apart to test the welds or doing MET analysis. With BANISH, we take every possible step to avoid every single one of these issues.
Quality inspection on every batch of welded suppressors
State of the art laser welder ensures repeatability between every weld on every suppressor. 100% automated process removes any human error. 100% visual weld inspection along with every 500pc having metrology analysis.
Get started today
Ready to look for your suppressor today? You can look over almost every suppressor sold today on the Silencer Central website. No one sells more suppressors or makes the buying process easier. Experience a simplified process, fast approvals, free trust set up, and to-your-door shipping.
While many suppressors can be used on several different caliber firearms, we have some specific models that can make your shooting more enjoyable. Pick the caliber that you have in mind. If you don’t see your caliber, pick one close to it to see our recommendations.
