The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has announced a $25.5 million investment through its Future Manufacturing (FM) program to drive fundamental research and workforce training for the next generation of U.S. manufacturing. This year’s awards fund seven large research projects and nine seed projects across 36 institutions and companies.
The FM program brings together diverse disciplines, covering areas such as biomanufacturing, cyber manufacturing, ecomanufacturing, and emerging work in quantum manufacturing. Rather than improving existing processes, the initiative seeks to develop new capabilities.
“The FM program targets critical technical gaps and lays the foundation for emerging sectors, including technologies that haven’t yet been imagined,” said Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. “NSF is investing in teams that bring together scientific, engineering and manufacturing expertise to equip the American workforce for leadership in advanced manufacturing.”
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Research and Seed Grants Fuel Emerging Technologies
The seven research grants—each up to $3 million over four years—support projects such as bioengineering in resource-limited environments, AI-driven “recyclofacturing” of metal scrap, and robotic/digital twin systems for additive manufacturing. The nine seed grants—up to $500,000 over two years—encourage early-stage exploration of ideas including DNA-based photonic quantum manufacturing, self-learning superconducting circuits, low-energy cement production using cyanobacteria and water, and new approaches to lithium extraction.
“By advancing these research in areas, the program strengthens U.S. leadership in science and technology, expands innovation capacity, and prepares a skilled American workforce to compete and lead in the global economy,” stated the foundation.
With this round of awards, NSF’s total investment in the program has surpassed $163 million over five years, supporting 104 projects involving more than 475 principal investigators at 136 institutions and companies across 40 states and territories.
Recent NSF-Funded Projects
Among the recent NSF grants is one supporting a multidisciplinary team at Binghamton University, led by Professor Seokheun “Sean” Choi. The team is investigating bacteria-powered biobatteries using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 3D printing technology. Working with Assistant Professor Dehao Liu, a specialist in LPBF from the Mechanical Engineering Department, the researchers produced stainless-steel microarchitectures with controlled porosity and surface roughness.
The design is intended to support bacterial colonization and assist nutrient delivery and waste removal, addressing challenges observed with carbon- and polymer-based anode materials.“LPBF is ideal for biobatteries because it enables high-precision, customizable 3D structures with complex geometries, essential for maximizing surface area and energy density,” Liu explained.
Elsewhere, private university Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) AMPrint Center is developing a metal 3D printing method that functions similarly to inkjet printing, using molten metal as the “ink.” Supported by a $3 million Future Manufacturing Research grant from the NSF, the project aims to increase printing speed and expand the range of printable metals. The technology is intended for commercial viability within the next five years and is being explored for its potential to support localized, on-demand manufacturing of metal components.
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Featured image shows NSF image showing its main investments. Image via NSF.
