I am the person who posts the most in NAMII’s LinkedIn group. This bewilders me… where are the rest of the neo-manufacturing flock? That may be about to change, as the USA’s National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute (NAMII), driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) has announced that it will rebrand to ‘America Makes’ to kickstart a unified, US-based additive manufacturing and 3D printing movement.
The USA is currently the world’s largest single economy. This decade, projections infer that the USA will be surpassed by China. According to current projections, within 50 years, India will pass the USA. In due course an expanded and more unified Eurozone will recover, if in relative decline to other economies, becoming the fourth largest economic area. It is with this in mind that policy makers continue to push for ways to incorporate the Maker Manifesto as a catalyst for bringing manufacturing back to the USA.
“America Makes is a vehicle for the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute to raise our profile, reach a wider audience to include the hobbyist and the entrepreneur, and ultimately, provide a richer member experience,” stated Ralph Resnick, Founding Director of the Institute and NCDMM President and Executive, in his remarks to members. “America Makes sets the stage for us to realize our mission of reinvigorating the U.S. manufacturing industry and jobs market by serving a strong message. America Makes is our call to action. America Makes challenges the perception of manufacturing. America Makes is a far-reaching movement that goes beyond the walls of industry and into the homes of individuals. This is how we will become competitive. This is how we grow our nation’s economy and get ahead. This is how we lead. When America Makes, America Works!”
Leadership had begun to feel that its identity was limited by its five-letter acronym, one that did not fully or aptly convey the intent, the depth or mission of the organization. The announcement was the accumulation of months of research and brainstorming among the Institute and its strategic partners to evolve the Institute in representing and unifying the entire additive manufacturing and 3D printing community under America Makes.
NAMII suggests that with America Makes, the Institute has a name and a concept that are so much more effective in communicating its purpose and ambition. I would agree.
“With America Makes, the goal of the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute is to broaden our voice to be more indicative and inclusive of all of the innovative people in our country—whether they are hobbyists or entrepreneurs or they work in industry, academia, and government,” said Ed Morris, Director. “In creating a movement in America Makes beyond a traditional organizational structure, it further unites us as a community and ensures our collective success in both advancing and accelerating the adoption of additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies and increasing our nation’s global economic competitiveness.”
Added Mr. Resnick, “Our mission has not changed; it has just been clarified. We look to embrace innovation from whatever its source as we collectively strive to accelerate the true realization of additive manufacturing through 3D printing. We are growing the inertia from our incredible first year of activities into a long overdue manufacturing movement because again history has proven that ‘When America Makes, America Works.’”
Three guesses not needed as to what the media sound-bite is…
America Makes sets the stage for all working and innovating in additive manufacturing and 3D printing to realize the mission of reinvigorating our nation’s manufacturing industry and jobs market by serving a strong message. However, the rebrand is only the first step. The America Makes website will feature more community and networking functions, have a new look, and seek to empower members with social features – to collaborate and network with other members; publish and share findings; and search and find answers to tough additive manufacturing questions.
Becoming a member of America Makes is simple via this three-step process:
1) Download the Membership Request Form and complete the request form in its entirety. Return it via e-mail to [email protected] with the e-mail subject line specifying “Membership Request Form.” Submitted Membership Request Forms will be reviewed by America Makes leadership to ensure compliance with our requirements.
2) Upon approval of the Membership Request Form, America Makes will provide a Membership Agreement for completion and signature. The completed membership agreement should be returned to America Makes for countersignature.
3) Dependent on membership payment methods (cash, cost share, or combination) the countersigned Membership Agreement will be activated and returned. Cash payments can be made the address below. Alternatively, requests for invoice should provide: Company Information; Point of Contact Information; Invoice Amount.
The new America Makes website can be found here.
