America Makes, a US public-private partnership focused on additive manufacturing, and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) have announced two project calls worth a combined $25.6 million. The funding is split between the $12.4 million Maturation Initiative for Additive Metals Interchangeability (MIAMI) and the $13.2 million INtegrated System for In-situ Testing & Evaluation (INSITE). Both programs focus on metal additive manufacturing for defense applications, with MIAMI centered on material substitution and INSITE aimed at integrating in-situ monitoring with post-build inspection.
MIAMI is funded through the Office of the Under Secretary of War, Acquisition and Sustainment, Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program. The effort is intended to validate whether metallic additive manufacturing materials can replace traditional alloys in Department of War weapon system components. Project teams will select candidate parts, define performance requirements, and generate shared validated data showing that the additive manufacturing material meets or exceeds the critical properties of the legacy alloy it is intended to replace. Three awards are anticipated. Proposed efforts are expected to reduce technical and industrial risk, support practical pathways to transition, and provide shared value to both the Department of War and the organic industrial base.
John Martin, Additive Manufacturing Research Director at America Makes, said the initiative is intended to support broader adoption of qualified additive manufacturing materials. “Advancing material interchangeability through additive manufacturing is a strategic step toward strengthening the nation’s defense posture,” he said. “This effort delivers the analytical rigor and validated data needed to accelerate trusted AM adoption, directly supporting the Department of War’s priorities for a more resilient and responsive industrial base.” MIAMI consists of two phases, beginning with Phase 0. That opening stage will assess applications and traditional materials where a selected additive manufacturing material could serve as a viable substitute. It also includes planning to define qualification-ready process, material, and feedstock specifications, process control documentation, and preliminary qualification testing to confirm that defined controls produce material with room-temperature mechanical properties that meet threshold requirements. A final phase will then move into comprehensive testing and demonstration based on the Phase 0 test plan.
INSITE is funded through the Office of the Under Secretary of War, Acquisition and Sustainment, Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment Program, and the Office of the Under Secretary of War, Manufacturing Technology Office. One award is anticipated. The project is intended to establish an integrated additive manufacturing quality assurance system that combines in-situ monitoring with post-build inspection, with the stated objective to strengthen defect detection, support more reliable additive manufacturing qualification, and deliver production-ready capabilities that improve efficiency, readiness, and competitiveness across the US supply base. The combined in-situ and post-build nondestructive evaluation approach is intended to improve inspection of large components, dense materials, and complex geometries that are difficult to assess using traditional methods. Rather than advancing individual sensing or nondestructive evaluation technologies in isolation, INSITE is structured around an integrated and certifiable quality assurance framework.
Ben DiMarco, Technology Transition Director at America Makes, said inspection remains essential as additive manufacturing is applied to larger and more complex parts. “As additive manufacturing scales to larger and more complex components, the ability to confidently verify part quality becomes mission critical,” he said. “This project brings together advanced analytics, in-situ monitoring, and next-generation NDE into a unified strategy that strengthens our industrial base and accelerates the deployment of reliable AM capabilities across defense applications.” INSITE includes phased tasking with decision gates covering sensor integration into the additive manufacturing machine and collection of in-situ data, demonstration that in-situ data can identify areas of interest for post-build nondestructive evaluation, and correlation of in-situ data with NDE results. INSITE’s kickoff webinar is scheduled for May 7 at 3 p.m., MIAMI’s kickoff webinar will take place on May 12 at 3 p.m., and an INSITE Industry Day with additional Q&A is set for May 18 at 2 p.m. Proposals for both calls are due by 5 p.m. ET on July 9, 2026. Proposers are advised to consult the RFP for full details and guidelines.
3D Printing Industry is inviting speakers for its 2026 Additive Manufacturing Applications (AMA) series, covering Energy, Healthcare, Automotive and Mobility, Aerospace, Space and Defense, and Software. Each online event focuses on real production deployments, qualification, and supply chain integration. Practitioners interested in contributing can complete the call for speakers form here.
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Featured image shows America Makes logo. Image via America Makes.
