America Makes and NCDMM distribute $9 million for AM qualification research
Delta Qual 2.0 funds three teams working to simplify additive manufacturing qualification for defense suppliers
America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) have distributed $9 million in funding to three project teams through the Delta Qual 2.0 project call.
The program is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of War, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSW ManTech) and targets additive manufacturing qualification barriers across the defense industrial base, including testing requirements, machine installation standards and processing-parameter flexibility. The project call was made at the start of April.
Three teams, three qualification challenges
ATI Materials and Trusted Metal LLC led teams looking into quantitative, measurement-based installation qualification, working alongside partners including Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, RTX Technology Research Center and Velo3D.
Auburn University led a team focused on bracketed qualification for laser powder bed fusion, partnering with organizations such as Texas A&M University, Northrop Grumman, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Air Force Research Laboratory. Barnes Global Advisors led a “Red Team” effort involving SAE International, ASTM International, Battelle, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and other industry, government and academic partners.
Modernizing qualification standards
John Martin, Additive Manufacturing Research Director at America Makes, said modernizing AM qualification is essential to maintaining defense readiness.
“Delta Qual 2.0 will lay the groundwork for a more agile, trusted, and scalable manufacturing ecosystem,” Martin said. “Congratulations to the winners, whose efforts are ensuring support for the Department of War’s objectives to deploy reliable, cost-effective, and scalable advanced manufacturing solutions for national security.”
