The 13th Annual Members Meeting and Exchange (MMX), hosted by America Makes—the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute—took place August 5–6 in Canfield, OH. Nearly 420 participants from the Department of Defense (DoD), academia, and industry attended, making it the largest MMX to date. The program focused on advancing additive manufacturing (AM) through collaboration and knowledge exchange.
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Executive Director John Wilczynski highlighted the launch of 22 projects in FY25, with almost $34 million awarded to members—efforts aimed at strengthening national security and military capabilities. He also stressed the need for deeper member engagement and improved information flow across America Makes’ three pillars: Technology Development, Workforce Growth, and Industrial Base Expansion.
Technology Director Brandon Ribic, Ph.D., outlined strategic initiatives for defense applications, including advancements in AM for space propulsion and high-temperature environments. He urged closer government–industry coordination, greater alignment of perspectives, and faster scaling from prototypes to production. His three top priorities are: aligning technology with DoD modernization goals via workshops and advisory groups; qualifying AM materials and processes for defense use; and reinforcing supply chain resilience by improving repeatability, material validation, production scaling, and feedstock availability.
Workforce, Supply Chain, and Collaboration Priorities
In the workforce session, Education and Workforce Development (EWD) Director Ed Herderick, Ph.D., presented a scalable training model for both the DoD and the wider industrial base. “The vision is for the DoD to have a trained workforce and capabilities to deploy additive manufacturing wherever and whenever needed, focusing on readiness and empowerment through education,” Dr. Herderick stated. The plan leverages AMTrain, DRIVE AM, the AMNation Portal, and Tooling U; offers targeted guidance to small and medium-sized manufacturers; and ensures readiness through accessible digital and in-person programs.
Industrial Base Integration Director Kimberly Gibson emphasized building a resilient, interconnected supply chain that meets defense and commercial needs. “We are working to ensure AM companies have adequate qualifications, standards, and policies to serve the organic and Defense Industrial Bases long term, while remaining profitable, supporting high wages, and keeping U.S.-based ownership of companies and their IP,” Gibson said.
Operations Director Alexander Steeb described the Institute’s framework for accelerating AM adoption, highlighting the value of events like MMX and TRX for fostering collaboration. He reaffirmed the focus on rigorous project management to deliver outcomes that meet DoD standards and strengthen the U.S. manufacturing base. “America Makes is proud to be a catalyst for additive manufacturing innovation by connecting the best minds and technologies and driving forward projects that enhance the competitiveness of the U.S. manufacturing industrial base,” Steeb shared.
DoD Expands Investment in 3D Printing
The U.S. The Department of Defense is intensifying its commitment to additive manufacturing with major new funding initiatives. In July, America’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the Pentagon’s largest provider of combat logistics support, led the effort, known as the JAMA IV IDIQ Pilot Parts Program. This marks the fourth phase of the Joint Additive Manufacturing Acceptability (JAMA) project, which aims to ensure that 3D printed components meet the rigorous standards required by military operations.
This targeted investment comes alongside broader funding plans in the Pentagon’s proposed$1 trillion FY 2026 budget, which allocates $3.3 billion across 16 projects that feature 3D printing. This includes $58.4 million for DARPA’s Additive Manufacturing of MicrosystEms (AMEE) and OSD’s Additive Manufacturing Innovation programs that focus explicitly on AM. Alexander Steeb, Senior Operations Director at America Makes, believes that the U.S. Military is “doubling down on additive.” This is reflected in several recent announcements across the DOD.
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Featured image shows MMX Event. Photo via America Makes.
