America Makes announces winners of $3.2M Delta Qual project call

The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and America Makes announced the winners of the Demonstration of Novel Methods for Effective AM Process Qualification/Re-Qualification - Delta Qualification directed project call worth $3.2 million. The effort is funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

Additive manufacturing (AM) offers the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and commercial manufacturing sectors groundbreaking opportunities with its ability to quickly produce lightweight designs. However, these benefits cannot yet be fully realized due to the time and cost associated with AM material and machine development and the generation of significant data through testing and analysis needed for qualification/re-qualification. Consequently, the agility of AM processes is hindered, making it challenging to respond to the technological advancements and shifts in the supply chain without first undergoing a costly and time-consuming re-qualification to ensure all rigorous standards for quality and safety continue to be met.

The chosen Delta Qual project teams will tackle these challenges by creating a qualified AM process that offers rapid and affordable flexibility in crucial processes, post-processing, and material feedstock variables, while efficiently validating a qualified AM material 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.”

Below is the list of award winners and related topics/projects:

Topic 1: Major Delta Qualification Demonstration

 Project 1: Applying Machining Learning to Enable Effective Additive Manufacturing Process Qualification/Re-Qualification

o Team Lead: Senvol

o Project Team: 3Degrees, AoZora Additive, ATI, Battelle, Boeing, Element Materials Technologies, National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR), and Pilgrim Consulting

 Project 2: Model Enabled Delta-Qual (MEDEL-QUAL)

o Team Lead: RTX (Raytheon)

o Project Team: Collins Aerospace Applied Research & Technology, Colorado School of Mines, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, and Sentient Science Corp.

 Project 3: Rapid Qualification Pathway for Metal Additive Manufacturing using Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) for Critical Applications

o Team Lead: EOS

o Project Team: 3Degrees, AddiGuru, NSL Analytical, and The Ohio State University

 

Topic 2: Minor Delta Qualification

 Project 1: Fatigue Allowable Curves and Effects of Texture and Thickness (FACETT)

o Team Lead: RTX Technology Research Center

o Project Team: Collins Aerospace Applied Research & Technology, Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence, Sentient Science Corp.

 Project 2: Demonstration of Novel Methods for Effective AM Process Qualification/Re-qualification

o Team Lead: Honeywell Aerospace

o Project Team: Macy Consulting Inc.

 

Topic 3: Red Team

 Project 1: Thorough Evaluation of AM with Rigorous Expertise and Data

o Team Lead: The Barnes Global Advisors

o Project Team: Blue Forge Alliance, Carnegie Mellon University, NASA, and SAE International

The projects are expected to be completed in September 2025 with data available to America Makes members. Additionally, project teams will report at TRX and other industry events during the execution phase of the program.

America Makes members from industry, academia, government, workforce and economic development organizations, work together to accelerate the adoption of AM and the nation’s global manufacturing competitiveness. Founded in 2012 as the Department of Defense’s national manufacturing innovation institute for AM and first of the Manufacturing USA network, America Makes is based in Youngstown, Ohio, and managed by the not-for-profit National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM).

NCDMM delivers innovative and collaborative manufacturing solutions that enhance our nation’s workforce and economic competitiveness. NCDMM has extensive knowledge and depth in commercial and defense manufacturing areas to continually innovate, improve, and advance manufacturing technologies and methodologies. NCDMM also manages America Makes, AMARII, AMIIC, El Paso Makes, and the V4 Institute, and is a subsidiary of the Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group Inc. (MTDG).