Aug. 24, 2023

Five Questions with Curtis Richardson, Spirit AeroSystems

This month’s five questions interview features ARM Member Curtis Richardson from Spirit AeroSystems! Curtis has been an ARM Institute Member since the Institute’s inception in 2017 and has participated on the Stakeholder Executive Committee (SEC), which serves as the voice of the ARM Institute’s nearly 400 member organizations, for many years. In his role on the SEC, Curtis provides input on the ARM Institute’s strategic direction to the ARM Institute’s leadership team.

Aug. 21, 2023

America Makes Honors 2023 Award Recipients

America Makes, the Department of Defense’s manufacturing innovation institute for additive manufacturing (AM), proudly announced the recipients of its 2023 Ambassador Awards and Distinguished Collaborator Award at the annual Members Meeting and Exchange (MMX) held on August 15-16 in Canfield, Ohio.

Aug. 16, 2023

Reshoring Electronics Manufacturing with 3D Printing: A Conversation with NextFlex

While much of it takes place behind the closed doors of corporate labs, electronics 3D printing is quietly revolutionizing the way goods are manufactured in the U.S. and abroad. And, thanks to the CHIPS Program, it is receiving a federal boost that will see new ways of making electronics take place at an increasingly domestic level. To learn more about this trend, we spoke to Dr. Art Wall, Director of Fab Operations at NextFlex.

Aug. 15, 2023

Tech Official Says Manufacturing Advances Are Key to National Security

Advances in manufacturing capabilities are critical to the Defense Department's overall national security strategy, a senior Pentagon technology official said today. Steven G. Wax, acting deputy chief technology officer for science and technology, underscored the role of manufacturing in providing the U.S. military with capabilities to deter conflict or persevere in conflict if deterrence fails.

Aug. 15, 2023

America Makes Announces Two Project Calls Worth Nearly $12M in Funding

YOUNGSTOWN, Oh. — The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and America Makes have announced two new open project calls funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD (R&E)), and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) worth a total of $11.75M. This is the largest funding opportunity launched by America Makes since its inception in 2012. Each project call has two areas of focus. One award is anticipated for each topic area with the maximum request for funding varying depending upon the topic being addressed.

Aug. 10, 2023

Students Explore Integrated Photonics through Summer Internships at AIM Photonics

While many college and university students are beginning to wrap up their long summer breaks spent relaxing at the beach, hiking the mountains, or even touring overseas, seven dedicated PhD, graduate and undergraduate students from SUNY Poly, RPI, University of Rochester, Siena College, and WPI were all busy catching their collective breath last week as they completed their summer internships at AIM Photonics.

Aug. 7, 2023

BioMADE Awarded $510,000 National Science Foundation Grant to Accelerate Bioindustrial Manufacturing Workforce Readiness

TWIN CITIES, Mn. — BioMADE, in partnership with member Delgado Community College, received a National Science Foundation grant to develop pioneering new industry-driven curricula for bioindustrial manufacturing that will build the technical workforce needed to support this growing sector.

July 25, 2023

Lisa Masciantonio Invited to White House Workforce Event

Lisa Masciantonio, ARM Institute Chief Workforce Officer, represented the ARM Institute at an invitation-only event event to celebrate the White House’s workforce hubs initiative, which saw Pittsburgh being named one of five workforce hubs to help bolster the economy. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden headlined the event with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and acting Labor Secretary Julie Su. The visit was one of several stops included on the Biden administration’s Investing in America Tour. During the event, Dr. Biden called out ARM Institute Member Partner4Work for their progress in developing new training pathways.

July 24, 2023

DOD Establishes Assistant Secretaries of Defense in the Office of the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering

WASHINGTON — On July 12, the Department of Defense announced the establishment of three new Assistant Secretary of Defense positions, along with eight Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Defense, in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. The ASDs will replace the role of Deputy Chief Technology Officer.

July 17, 2023

America Makes and ANSI Publish Standardization Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing Version 3.0

NEW YORK — Today, America Makes and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) announced the publication of the Standardization Roadmap for Additive Manufacturing, Version 3.0, developed by the America Makes and ANSI Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative (AMSC). The roadmap describes the current and desired future standardization landscape for additive manufacturing (AM) and focuses on industrial market sectors using AM technologies. A total of 141 standardization gaps (including 60 new gaps) are identified with corresponding recommendations across the AM lifecycle areas of design; precursor materials; process control; post-processing; finished material properties; qualification and certification; nondestructive evaluation; maintenance and repair; and data. The hope is that the roadmap will be broadly adopted by the user community to facilitate a more coordinated approach to the future development of AM standards.

July 15, 2023

Tasha Miller Named Among 20 People to Know in Manufacturing

ARM Institute Program Manager Tasha Miller has been named to the Pittsburgh Business Times’ List of 20 People to Know in Pittsburgh Manufacturing! This list recognizes individuals who are pushing their own companies forward, helping other manufacturers be their best, imagining new ways to build and design things, and planning to meet the needs of a 21st-century industrial landscape.

DETROIT, Mi. July 14, 2023

“It looks like Tony Stark’s basement” – An Operation Next Success Story

July 14, 2023 — “I just thought this was the coolest place. It looks like Tony Stark’s basement, so I said, ‘Let’s do this!’” That was New Jersey native turned Michigan resident Staff Sgt. Cameron Homburg’s reaction to his first visit to LIFT, the Detroit-based Department of Defense national manufacturing innovation institute, as he considered what his civilian career might look like as he retires after serving 20 years in the United States Marine Corps.

July 11, 2023

LIFT Opens 2023 LEAP Project Call

LIFT, the Detroit-based national manufacturing innovation institute, has announced its 2023 LEAP (LIFT Ecosystem Accelerator Program) Project Call and is accepting submissions through August 21, 2023.

July 10, 2023

America Makes Announces Open Project Call Worth $6.4M in Funding

YOUNGSTOWN, OH — The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and America Makes have announced a new open project call funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD (R&E)), and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) worth a total of $6.4M. The number of anticipated awards and maximum funding will vary depending on the topic area being addressed.

July 10, 2023

The ARM Institute catalyzes critically needed robotics solutions for manufacturing through collaboration with industry, government, and academia

U.S. manufacturing is overdue for a resurgence, one that must be powered by Industry 4.0 technologies like robotics. However, critically needed robotics technologies often fall prey to the innovation valley of death, unable to advance from the research stage to implementation. Manufacturers of all sizes, but particularly small and medium-sized firms, find themselves ill-prepared to navigate the risks of automation—from the necessary capital investments and time needed for implementation to finding the trained workforce necessary to operate, maintain, and repair robotics after implementation. These issues combined with a historic labor skills gap that could see2.4 million jobs left unfilled in the coming years, have stagnated U.S. manufacturing growth.

July 7, 2023

The right conversations – TACOM at LIFT Technologies

DETROIT ARSENAL, Mich. — How do you modernize an industry? How do you take words on legislation and turn them into a lean and efficient supply chain that provides for the Army’s ever-present logistical needs? These are the questions that U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command’s leadership faces as modernization continues to top Army priorities. “Understanding how we get to where we want to be begins with experiences like this one,” said Dr. Valerie DeVries, TACOM’s deputy chief of staff for human capital. “It begins with fostering the right kind of ideas and conversations.”

July 5, 2023

AIM Photonics Announces New Opto-electronic Testing Services

Comprehensive toolset expands access to companies of all sizes to advanced testing capabilities for their prototype development

June 28, 2023

AIM Photonics Demonstrates Advanced PIC Developments at DoD Manufacturing Technology Exhibition

Pentagon event showcases innovative technologies developed by MIIs to support U.S. national defense and boost domestic economy

June 27, 2023

Securing Global Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing

We canvassed leaders from the innovation institutes in the Manufacturing USA network to see how their efforts are helping the U.S. secure global leadership for emerging technologies in the critical strategic industries of defense, health and medical security, energy, and semiconductors and microelectronics.

June 22, 2023

Lowering Risks to Span the 'Valley of Death:' DOD Showcases Advanced Manufacturing Innovation at Meet-and-Greet

WASHINGTON — On June 21, the Department of Defense showcased more than 80 technologies critical to national defense during a demonstration event at the Pentagon.

June 22, 2023

Pentagon Exhibit Highlights Efforts to Speed Innovation, Invention

WASHINGTON — Pentagon employees got a chance to view some of the projects that will speed up innovation and invention in the department at a DOD Manufacturing Technology Program exhibition yesterday.

June 13, 2023

BioMADE to Establish Bioindustrial Manufacturing Infrastructure in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL, MN — Following bipartisan support from Governor Walz and the Minnesota Legislature, the Minnesota site will be the first start in a national network of bioindustrial manufacturing facilities

June 6, 2023

NCDMM Celebrates 20 Years of Trust, Collaboration, Results

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — For the past two decades, the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) has been on a mission to ensure the U.S. warfighter always has a superior advantage. As NCDMM recognizes its 20th anniversary this year, the organization is reflecting on its journey from past to present.

AIM Photonics June 6, 2023

Case Study: AIM Photonics and Spark Photonics team up to develop hands-on educational PIC chip

ALBANY, Ny. — DoD MII partnership creates a comprehensive educational and workforce development tool designed, developed, manufactured and distributed entirely in the U.S. to enhance hands-on learning for silicon photonics