America Makes and NCDMM Announce Winners of Delta Qual Project Call.

The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) in collaboration with America Makes recently announced the winners of a $3.2 million call for projects. The project focuses on demonstrating new methods to quickly and efficiently qualify and re-qualify additive manufacturing processes, commonly known as 3D printing.

Additive manufacturing processes offer significant benefits to both the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the commercial sector. In particular, the ability to rapidly produce lightweight designs stands out. However, the full potential of this technology has yet to be realized due to the time and cost factors associated with material and machine development. In addition, generating meaningful data through testing and analysis for qualification requires significant effort.

The “Delta Qual” project aims to address these challenges. The selected teams will work to develop a qualified 3D printing process that is both flexible and cost-effective in key processes, post-processing and material inputs. Another goal is the efficient validation of qualified 3D printing materials through statistical analysis.

“We are excited to announce and celebrate the winners of this project call,” stated Dr. Brandon Ribic, America Makes Technology Director. “Our membership and their collaborative partners consistently impress us with their ability to find dynamic solutions. These cutting-edge industry leaders, researchers, and developers are revolutionizing additive technology and propelling it forward as the future of manufacturing. We have full confidence in their ability to devise optimal solutions to overcome the qualification/re-qualification challenges that slow the expansion of this innovative industry.”