Shocking! America Makes Wants to Give You Money Again

With two new project calls, America Makes would like to give you $35 million. Powered by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD ManTech). OSD ManTech is tasked with continuing US technological leadership in quantum, hypersonics, materials, and more. It’s one of the most critical parts of the US government in developing and bringing to the warfighter essential technologies.

One project is called the 2026 Department of Defense (DoD) Organic Industrial Base (OIB) Modernization Challenge, while the other is the Joint Additive Qualification for Sustainment Supplier Qualification (JAQS-SQ) Groups 2 and 3. The latter will receive up to 30 awards totaling $10.5 million. Meanwhile, the other will see earnings of $10 to $15 million.

The OIB project is broad, covering digital operations technology, AI robotic process planning, in-situ quality checks, reducing operational exposure to hazards, lowering operational costs, pilot lines for emerging military products, and mobile/large surface automation.

Additive Manufacturing Research Director at America Makes, John Martin, noted,

“Modernizing the organic industrial base is a readiness imperative. Through this project, we’re hardwiring shopfloor improvements and additive manufacturing into daily production to drive measurable reductions in cost per pound of material, while boosting throughput, quality, and resilience. By making AM a core requirement for submissions, we turn fragmented innovation into award-winning capabilities that scale across depots and arsenals.”

The project will be awarded in the areas of: Digital Operations Technology, Real-Time Manufacturing Sensors for Robotics, AI Robotic Process Planning, In-Situ Quality Checks, Reduced Operator Exposure, Reduced Cost of Operations, Pilot Line of Non-Traditional OIB Products, Mobile and Large Surface Automation, and Other AM Technology or Process.

We can see that America Makes and Mantech are moving ahead here. Where a few years ago it was characterizing everything and 3D printing a lot of coupons, we are going up in the world. As with industry, much of the focus is on in situ QA, process planning, and on using software and sensors to improve additive manufacturing. Reducing operator exposure is also a wonderfully mature and operationally important thing to be thinking about. Reduced costs and production lines are very exciting as well.

I really think that the US military should be creating and buying actual production lines for itself to make what it needs when it needs them. This will also let them iteratively improve things quickly according to the findings, circumstances, and situation. This would unlock the true value and ability of additive to win battles. Ukraine is not using 3D printers to print ancient designs; it’s using 3D printing to be agile, quick, proactive, and responsive. It is making part-sized solutions to the problems of the day and looking to outperform the enemy with better kit. And it’s making a huge difference for them. In the brittle, super-expensive US procurement quagmire, the advantages could be even greater.

The other project is already underway. The JAQS‑SQ is meant to make onboarding, training, audit, and control more applicable to additive. This is one of the most important things underway at the moment, along with that one thing that sounds like a Japanese role-playing computer game. The sustainment and supplier qualification framework being created here could become the default way your service, machine, or material is evaluated in the future. What they’re building here is not just a project but connective tissue. How they define things, what they value, and the procedures laid out here will affect everyone forever. Based around DED and LPBF, it will see a training being implemented by Wichita State University – National Institute for Aviation Research (WSU‑NIAR).

The training will let you learn how to become a qualified additive manufacturing partner for the government. Please take it.

America Makes Technology Transition Director, Ben DiMarco, said,

“The Defense Industrial Base needs more qualified additive manufacturing suppliers — and JAQS is scaling to deliver them. Preparing these suppliers now strengthens the U.S. Defense Industrial Base and builds the advanced manufacturing capacity our warfighters will depend on for decades. A year from now, we expect more than 30 qualified suppliers. The AM community, especially parts producers, should lean in.”

If you are a US-based supplier of materials, machines, or manufacturing services, please join this if you can, take the relevant training if you’re able, and be a part of this. This is a significant opportunity to work for the government, and they’re actively helping companies engage with the government and get work done.