US Air Force funds roadmap study on continuous fiber-reinforced 3D printing

America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) have announced a new project award funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The University of Dayton Research Institute has been selected for the call “Affordable and Agile Composite Additive Manufactured Structures” (AACAMS). The budget is USD 450,000 and is intended for a roadmap and reporting study, not for the direct development of a production part.

The focus is on Continuous Fiber Additive Manufacturing (CFAM), i.e., additive manufacturing using continuous fibers in a polymer matrix. Unlike short-fiber-filled filaments, an unbroken reinforcing fiber—typically carbon or glass fiber—is deliberately integrated into the part. The goal is to produce lightweight yet mechanically robust structures, for example housings, brackets, or load-bearing structural components. For the study, CFAM is defined broadly: This includes layer-by-layer build-up, deposition onto three-dimensional surfaces, and freeform fabrication, as long as fiber and matrix are introduced into the 3D body as a continuous composite.

The planned roadmaps are intended to capture the current state of the CFAM landscape, identify barriers to adoption, and pinpoint technical gaps that hinder scaling and qualification. In addition, the team plans to gather requirements from system integrators, for example regarding process stability, part inspection, repeatability, material data, and interfaces to design/engineering.

“Today’s warfighter faces a dynamic landscape that demands increased speed, agility, and precision. This project is a strategic step to integrate additive manufacturing technologies into production, enhancing defense capabilities,” said John Martin, Additive Manufacturing Research Director at America Makes. “We are excited to support our members who bring in-depth expertise pivotal to addressing these real-world challenges.”