Nov. 5, 2018

Additive Manufacturing: Shaping the Sustainment Battlespace

The proliferation of 3D Printing technologies, also known as additive manufacturing is the subject of this essay. The authors explain the amazing possibilities of this emergent technology to shorten supply chains, produce hard-to-source parts, and deliver spare parts on demand, such as printed food and even printed human organs. There is no doubt that 3D Printing will expand into other fields, increasing flexibility and significantly shortening supply chains. However, there are still major hurdles to overcome before 3D Printing is fully implemented in a way that best supports the joint war fighter.

May 10, 2018

AFRL demos advanced robotics for aerospace manufacturing

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio –  Engineers from the Manufacturing Technologies Division, Air

April 11, 2018

NSWC Crane Employees Mentor First-Ever Champions of the 'Jim Grandorf Field Consulting Project Award'

Two Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) employees, Keith DeVries and Justin McRoberts--as part of the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) Defense-wide Manufacturing Science & Technology (DMS&T) team--mentored a team from Indiana University (IU) that was recently named the first-ever champions of the Jim Grandorf Field Consulting Project Award.

Feb. 2, 2018

AFRL, NextFlex leverage open-source community to create flexible circuit system

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio –  Lightweight, low-cost and flexible electronic systems are

Dec. 5, 2017

Innovators Recognized for Viable Solutions to "Hack the Human Element"

MD5, the Department of Defense’s national security technology accelerator, hosted area innovators for a three-day hackathon event entitled “Hacking the Human Element” December 1 – 3 in Tampa, FL. The event, presented in partnership with SOFWERX, focused on wearable technologies to enhance operator performance in austere and challenging environmental conditions, with judges awarding four teams for their prototype hackathon solutions.

Aug. 26, 2017

Happy Birthday America Makes!

On August 16, 2017, Department of Defense (DoD) proudly announced the fifth birthday of the first Manufacturing USA Institute, America Makes.  This milestone marks the anniversary of the DoD’s award announcement of the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute to the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM).  In celebration of this major milestone, institute sponsors and members around the country gathered at America Makes’ Innovation Factory in Youngstown, Ohio to commemorate the progress and contributions the Institute has made to advance the additive manufacturing (AM) industry.

July 28, 2017

Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute’s (ARMI) Hosts the Official Grand Opening of BioFabUSA

On July 28, 2017, Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) hosted the official grand opening of the BioFabUSA Manufacturing USA institute in Manchester, NH.  The event brought together over 400 attendees, from federal leaders to potential members from industry and academia, to celebrate the opening of the institute’s new facilities in the Manchester Millyard.  BioFabUSA, a public-private partnership focused on manufacturing the future of biofabrication, was announced in December 2017 as the seventh Department of Defense led Manufacturing USA institute and twelfth overall.  The grand opening marks a major milestone for BioFabUSA as they progress in their mission to catalyze the U.S. research and commercial ecosystems to bring forward tissue fabrication manufacturing technology.

July 28, 2017

President Trump Expresses Support for BioFabUSA Manufacturing USA Institute

On July 28, 2017, President Donald Trump conveyed his congratulations to the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) for their Official Grand Opening of the BioFabUSA Manufacturing USA Institute in Manchester, NH.  In a letter, President Trump recognizes ARMI for their efforts to “improve advanced manufacturing in the United States” by connecting the “country’s greatest minds with cutting edge technologies.”  As the letter states, “Together with existing initiatives in government and the private sector, this institute will lead to life-saving next-generation solutions to some of our greatest medical challenges.”  With continued support from all levels of the government and industry, BioFabUSA and the other Manufacturing USA institute will continue to “turn groundbreaking ideas into revolutionary new products.”  

June 21, 2017

Opportunity to Advance New Concepts at Department of Defense Hackathon for Emergency Response with Functional Fabrics

MD5, the National Security Technology Accelerator, is hosting its next Hackathon at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, MA July 28-30. The event leverages emerging fabric technology to create new solutions for emergency response, bringing together practitioners, technologists and military staff to build product prototypes over 54 hours.

June 16, 2017

Creating an Additive Manufacturing Workforce with Military Veterans

America Makes, the Department of Defense’s Manufacturing USA institute for additive manufacturing, in partnership with 3D Veterans, received a Google.org grant to expand its Additive Manufacturing Bootcamp for veterans.  With assistance from General Electric’s Center for Additive Technology Advancement (GE CATA) and Robert Morris University, this summer’s program will expand to include Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. 

May 31, 2017

The Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) Manufacturing USA Institute Opens a Fabric Discovery Center at UMass Lowell

The Department of Defense’s (DoD) Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) Manufacturing USA institute, in collaboration with NextFlex – the Manufacturing USA institute for Flexible Hybrid Electronics – announced their partnership with University of Massachusetts (UMass) Lowell to open a Fabric Discover Center focused on innovation in advanced manufacturing. Located in a growing regional center for the textile industry, the UMass Lowell Fabric Discover Center will promote new advancements in textile manufacturing and job growth in the Northeast and across the nation.

Jan. 30, 2017

Study Finds Manufacturing USA Spurs R&D Innovation

Created in 2012, fourteen Manufacturing USA institutes exist across the country, focused on increasing American competitiveness in advanced manufacturing and including over 1000 members from industry, academia, national laboratories, state and local governments, and the federal government. Over $1B of federal funding and $2B of non-federal funding supports the institutes in their attempts to advance manufacturing technology and innovation in the U.S. After five years, a recent assessment by a third party found “that Manufacturing USA is a valid approach grounded in a portfolio of technology-centric Institutes.”

Jan. 12, 2017

DoD Announces Award of New Advanced Robotics Manufacturing (ARM) Innovation Hub in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Today, the Department of Defense awarded the 14th Manufacturing USA institute – the Advanced Robotics Manufacturing (ARM) Innovation Hub – to American Robotics, Inc. The eighth DoD-led institute, the ARM Institute joins the Manufacturing USA network in its collective effort to help revitalize American manufacturing and incentivize companies to invest in new technology development in the United States.

Jan. 6, 2017

Embracing opportunity: additive technology for manufacturing

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – It’s a materials scientist’s dream, but as some experts say,

Dec. 22, 2016

DoD Funds New Tissue Biofabrication Manufacturing Consortium

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department will fund an 87-member coalition to develop next-generation manufacturing techniques for repairing and replacing cells, tissues and organs for wounded service members.

Dec. 21, 2016

DoD Announces Award of New Advanced Tissue Biofabrication Manufacturing Innovation Hub in Manchester, New Hampshire

Expanding efforts focused on strengthening US-based manufacturing, the Department of Defense announced the award of a new public-private Manufacturing USA institute to Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) today. This new institute will be the 12th Manufacturing USA institute established, with the Department of Defense now leading seven of the 12.

Dec. 1, 2016

Army Explores 3-D Printing's Future Applications for Soldiers, Force

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- A Soldier heads back to camp, grabs a power bar and unloads his

Oct. 6, 2016

DoD Shares in Manufacturing Day Celebrations

WASHINGTON — October 7 is Manufacturing Day -- a celebration of modern manufacturing during which businesses, academic institutions and government agencies host events nationwide aimed at inspiring the next generation of manufacturers.

Oct. 6, 2016

DoD Shares in Manufacturing Day Celebrations

WASHINGTON — October 7 is Manufacturing Day -- a celebration of modern manufacturing during which businesses, academic institutions and government agencies host events nationwide aimed at inspiring the next generation of manufacturers.

July 29, 2016

Air Force researching advanced manufacturing techniques for aircraft parts replacement

This will be the first project under a new five-year cooperative agreement between the Air Force Research Laboratory and America Makes, which was created to help advance the U.S. 3D printing industry, also known as additive manufacturing. In order to deal with challenges related to the sustainment of its fleet of aircraft and aircraft support vehicles and machinery, this project will focus on additive manufacturing and related advanced manufacturing techniques such as reverse engineering tools, 3D scanners, CAD software and non-destructive evaluation systems. The America Makes Public-Private Partnership model provides unique opportunities to leverage current member investments and to better align the internal research and development activities of industrial, academic, and government partners to a national additive technology roadmap.

June 14, 2016

DOD Announces New Manufacturing Institute

On Friday, April 1, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA), Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced the newest manufacturing innovation institute focused on revolutionary fibers and textiles.

April 20, 2016

DLA Research and Development: A Strategic Activity That Lives in an Operational Environment

Fort Belvoir, VIRGINIA — DLA’s current Research and Development program focuses on end-to-end supply chain for traditional programs, but also looks at strategic priorities.

March 3, 2016

AFRL Materials and Manufacturing Directorate engineer lauded for advancing domestic manufacturing capabilities

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — Air Force Research Laboratory materials engineer Dr. Benjamin Leever received the Office of the

Sept. 25, 2015

AFRL seeking to advance a new breed of electronics through manufacturing institute

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is paving the way for a new class of innovative military