America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining have launched two project calls totaling $14.5 million in funding, supported by the Office of the Unde...

America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining have launched two project calls totaling $14.5 million in funding, supported by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Manufacturing Technology Office. The $9 million Delta Qual 2.0 initiative focuses on streamlining qualification for laser powder bed fusion systems by developing measurement procedures for subsystems and creating a framework for process parameter variation. The $5.5 million GOTHAAM project targets the generation of technical data for 7075-T73-equivalent aluminum alloys, aiming to establish MMPDS-compliant material allowables across small, medium, and large-format LPBF machines to ensure machine-to-machine equivalency.

These initiatives address the persistent bottleneck of qualification and certification costs that limit the adoption of metal additive manufacturing within the defense sector. By moving toward event-based requalification and standardized material data, America Makes is attempting to reduce the reliance on destructive testing and lengthy validation cycles that currently hinder the scaling of structural defense components. This effort directly supports the Department of War objectives for a more agile supply chain, positioning the organization as a critical intermediary between academic research and industrial implementation for high-strength aluminum alloys like 7075-T73.

These project calls provide a structured path for manufacturers to move beyond proprietary process parameters toward industry-wide standards for aluminum alloys. Success in these programs will require participants to demonstrate consistent mechanical properties across diverse machine architectures, which is essential for the widespread integration of LPBF into defense-grade structural applications. Stakeholders should prioritize the alignment of their internal quality management systems with the emerging measurement and calibration protocols defined by these initiatives.