After the announcement of its project call winners, America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) have announced a project call totaling $6.6 million.
Named IMPACT 2.0, this is an extension of its previous “Improvements in Manufacturing Productivity via Additive Capabilities and Techno-Economic Analysis” (IMPACT) project call released last year. This recent project call is backed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program (OSD ManTech), to demonstrate improvements in lead time, productivity, and yield within casting and forging (C&F) processes.
“Over the last two decades, the U.S. casting and forging industry has faced challenges related to capability and capacity,” said John Martin, AM Research Director at America Makes. “This poses a significant obstacle in acquiring essential components for critical weapons and support platforms, making it of vital importance to defense and economic stability.”
The IMPACT 2.0 project call
The IMPACT 2.0 project call focuses on two main areas and expects to award seven grants, with funding amounts varying based on the specific topic. The request for proposal (RFP) is divided into two segments: Part A and Part B.
Under Part A of IMPACT 2.0, the project call consists of four topics. Topic 1 ($2.0M) focuses on the advancement and promotion of techniques for incorporating functional surfaces and complex geometric features into forgings. Topic 2 ($1.5M) aims to disseminate best practices and encourage the adoption of 3D printed sand molds/cores. Topic 3 ($1.1M) involves the development of a techno-economic analysis tool for metal part manufacturing process selection. Topic 4 ($500K) focuses on ensuring operational recovery in industrial production.
Part B introduces the Rapid Casting Demonstration Challenge – Two Step ($1.5M), aimed at addressing the need to assess integrated manufacturing approaches in real-world demand scenarios. This dual-component structure is designed to identify strengths and weaknesses in these methodologies. Martin emphasized the importance of enabling members and project teams to research, develop, and implement advanced solutions in the C&F domain to mitigate risks to the defense sector and the broader economy.
Project call timeline
- Launch: April 11, 2024
- Kickoff Webinar: April 11 at TRX (Registration Required)
- Questions Due from Proposers about Scope or Approach: April 22
- Membership Eligibility Deadline:
- May 29 for Part A/Topics 1-4
- June 12 for Part B/Step 1 and Step 2
- Submission Deadline by 5 p.m., ET:
- June 14 for Part A/Topics 1-4
- May 10 for Part B/Step 1; June 28 for Part B/Step 2
- Anticipated Awards Announcement: July 24
Proposers for the IMPACT 2.0 project call are encouraged to refer to the Request for Proposal (RFP) for comprehensive details and guidelines, accessible HERE.
A closer look at America Makes project call opportunities
America Makes project calls offer funding and collaboration opportunities for researchers to tackle AM challenges aligned with national priorities, boosting innovation and credibility in the field. Partnering with OSD ManTech and Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, America Makes spearheaded a project call with a budget of up to $1.5 million, last year.
This funding aimed to support initiatives aligned with the MII Point of Need (PoN) Challenge, backed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The DoD PoN Manufacturing Challenge Project Call focused on dual-use applications, catering to the unique requirements of both the DoD and the domestic manufacturing industry.
In 2022, America Makes announced two project calls totaling $1.7 million. The 2022 Rapid Innovation Call (RIC), funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), with $400,000, aimed to advance AM technology across various swimlanes. The Steel (HY-80) Wire-Arc Additive Heat Treatment (SWAAHT) Project Call, supported by NCDMM, AFRL, and Office of Naval Research (ONR), offered $1.35 million for modeling frameworks to enhance ferritic steel DED and post-build HT procedures at scale.
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Featured image shows America Makes logo. Image via America Makes.
