America Makes announces winners of $2.1M project call

America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) announced the winners of a recent project call awarded through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering's Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD(R&E)), totaling $2.1 million in funding. The project call, released in June 2024, consists of six topic areas of focus.

Additive manufacturing (AM) continues to advance the U.S. manufacturing base, enabling reduced lead times, high-complexity components, rapid iteration, and on-demand part printing. However, material and process qualification remain barriers hindering its technological advancement. Award recipients of four topic areas will be crucial in verifying and identifying precise data and predictive models that optimize manufacturing processes to improve quality, efficiency, and performance for complex parts and components.

Additionally, two projects emphasize sustainable practices that encourage the reutilization and recycling of AM materials. Recipients are tasked with exploring sustainable AM designs and materials that consistently meet the necessary qualifications and performance standards for end users.

“We are honored to convene some of the brightest minds in the industry, who continually provide innovative solutions that position additive technology as the future of manufacturing,” stated Dr. Brandon Ribic, Technology Director at America Makes. “We are confident in their ability to tackle the qualification challenges essential for driving growth in the industry.”

Below is the list of award winners and related topic areas:

Topic 1: In-Situ Dimensional Verification of Increased Complexity AM Parts

• Team Lead: RTX Technology Research Center (RTRC)
• Project Team: Velo 3D Inc.

Topic 2: In-Process Sensor Calibration, Characterization Methods, and Operating Limits to Yield Reliable Process Data

(Not awarded)

Topic 3: Characterizing and Correlating Coupon to Part Material Properties

• Team Lead: Marotta Controls Inc.
• Project Team: 3D Systems, The Pennsylvania State University, Applied Research Laboratory

Topic 4: Novel Low-Cost, High-Productivity Aluminum Manufacturing

• Team Lead: Edison Welding Institute, Inc. (EWI)
• Project Team: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporate Aeronautics Systems Sector, The Boeing Company

Topic 5: High-Fidelity Prediction of Residual Stress Distribution in Laser Powder Bed Fusion

• Team Lead: The Ohio State University
• Project Team: Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, 3Degrees, Phase3D, Fabrisonic LLC.

Topic 6: Analysis of AM Sustainability and Environmental Benefits

• Team Lead: EOS
• Project Team: Texas A&M University, 6K Additive, 3Degrees, Wichita State University, National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR)
• Team Lead: ASTM International
• Project Team: The Boeing Company, ADDMAN, Amaero Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, Additive Manufacturing Green Trade Association LLC.