America Makes has announced the winners of the recent Rapid Innovation Call (RIC) for projects worth $500,000 in total funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Manufacturing and Industrial Base Technology Division, to further advance the maturation of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies.

The topics for the RIC were announced in August during America Makes’ Technical Review and Exchange and represent a concerted effort by the Institute and its members to strategically prioritize investment in technical topics that will best help shape the industry’s direction.

“The America Makes membership community is truly working together to drive the direction we take to mature and advance AM technologies,” said Dr. Brandon Ribic, America Makes Technology Director. “We are excited to see our membership come forth with projects that will produce outcomes with real impacts addressing critical areas of need, helping to further advance additive technology.”

The projects are expected to be completed in May 2022 with project data made available to America Makes members.

Below is the list of RIC award winners and related topics:

Understanding Build Interruptions via AM Monitoring Methods 
Ohio State University - Quantifying the effects of build interruptions through in-process monitoring and mechanical test

AM Part Families for Product Q&C
ASTM – Best Practices for Additive Manufacturing Part Families Relating to Product Qualification and Certification

Defect Detection and Mitigation via Hybrid AM
Open Additive - Defect Detection and Mitigation via Selective Laser Ablation & Melting (SLAM)

Defect Detection and Mitigation via Hybrid AM
Pennsylvania State University - Hybrid Additive Manufacturing Error Recognition and Resolution (HAMERR)

Advancing Lightweight Design for AM of Thin Walls and Struts
Ohio State University – Metal Lattice Design, Testing, and Application Study

America Makes is the nation’s leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM) technology and education. 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 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).