New initiative aims to improve interoperability in 3D printing between the US and UK

Additive manufacturing is playing an increasingly important role in the defense industry, particularly in the production of complex and critical components. To improve interoperability between the supply chains of the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Allied Additive Manufacturing Interoperability (AAMI) Program was established. This program is sponsored by America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) with support from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD(R&E)) and funded at $1.1 million. It focuses on laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), one of the key technologies in industrial 3D printing.

Additive manufacturing offers numerous advantages, including shorter production times, reduced material costs and the ability to produce complex geometries. Nevertheless, the qualification of additively manufactured components remains a challenge. Different standards and qualification procedures make integration into existing supply chains difficult and delay the introduction of new technologies. The AAMI program aims to reduce these hurdles and develop uniform qualification approaches to facilitate the mutual recognition of manufacturing processes.

A key aspect of the project is the identification of obstacles in transatlantic cooperation. In addition to technical issues such as process qualification and certification, topics such as data protection, intellectual property rights and the secure transfer of manufacturing data also play a role. The program is based on the British “Advanced Manufacturing Strategy” and the US “Regional Sustainment Framework” and aims to build a resilient, internationally networked defence industry.

“The current defense sustainment model relies on legacy materials and processes insufficient for today’s complex operational challenges. This project allows participants to propose a structured framework for additive manufacturing supplier qualification, emphasizing performance-based approaches for consistent part production among allied nations,” said Ben DiMarco, Technology Transition Director at America Makes. “By demonstrating AM equivalency and interoperability between the U.S. and U.K., we are advancing qualification methodologies for laser powder bed fusion while accelerating real-world implementation of these capabilities. This initiative highlights the power of collaboration in overcoming technical, regulatory, and supply chain challenges, ensuring AM delivers tangible benefits to the warfighter and allied defense operations.”

The call for projects has already been launched and interested companies have until May 2025 to submit their proposals. The initiative could represent an important step towards the harmonization of standards in additive manufacturing and thus strengthen technological cooperation between the two nations.