America Makes, the national additive manufacturing accelerator managed by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), has issued a new open project call worth $4.5 million. Funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD ManTech), the initiative is titled “Improvements in Manufacturing Productivity via Additive Capabilities and Techno-Economic Analysis 3.0” (IMPACT 3.0). The call focuses on demonstrating improvements in lead time, productivity, and yield for casting and forging operations using additive manufacturing technologies. Three project awards are expected.
The IMPACT 3.0 request for proposal (RFP) includes two technical topic areas. The first, “AM in the Digital Foundry,” seeks to incorporate sensors and automation into metal foundries to increase production speed and flexibility. This includes the ability to support intermittent or low-volume orders, enabling more responsive manufacturing environments. The second topic, “Wire Arc DED Process Sensing and Control,” aims to establish tools and methods for monitoring and controlling wire-based Directed Energy Deposition (DED) processes. These methods are expected to improve confidence in using wire arc DED for military applications under oversight of Department of Defense technical authorities.
John Martin, Additive Manufacturing Research Director at America Makes, emphasized the initiative’s relevance to national supply chain issues. “Additive and advanced manufacturing technologies are crucial for the castings and forgings industry and the Defense Industrial Base to overcome current national supply chain challenges,” he stated. “In partnership with our members, we invest in strategic initiatives to ensure warfighter readiness for essential military platforms, ultimately strengthening the Department of Defense’s supply chain and enhancing national defense resilience.”
Each project must begin within a mid-range maturity window, defined as Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4–7 and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) 4–7. The objective is to transition additive manufacturing from demonstration to deployment within metal casting and forging workflows, particularly for defense-relevant components and systems.
Additive manufacturing positioned to support legacy systems and on-demand production
America Makes supports AM adoption by coordinating research projects that serve both commercial and defense sectors. IMPACT 3.0 continues that trajectory, focusing on cast and forged parts—an area with high demand for reduced lead times and improved part availability. Additive technologies are increasingly used to replace or supplement legacy component production, where conventional manufacturing faces long procurement cycles and limited tooling availability. The current project call aligns with long-term Department of Defense goals to embed agile, digital-first manufacturing capabilities into its logistics and sustainment chains.
The call for proposals opened on April 2, 2025. A kickoff webinar will be hosted on April 8 as part of the TRX event series. Technical questions must be submitted by April 16. Membership eligibility for participants closes on May 20. Final proposals must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. ET on June 2. Awards are expected to be announced by June 27. Full details, topic requirements, and eligibility criteria can be found in the official RFP posted on the America Makes website.
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Featured image showcase America Makes logo. Image via America Makes.
