The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), America Makes and partner, Catalyst Connection have announced the launch of AMNOW, a new programme to support the adoption of additive manufacturing (AM) technology in the U.S. Army supply chain.
By enabling a robust AM supply chain and clear technology AM transition path, AMNOW aims to increase the U.S. Army’s readiness and facilitate on-demand production.
Noting the “substantial” long-term implications of the programme, Ralph Resnick, NCDMM President and Chief Executive Officer and Founding Director of America Makes, said:
“The work of the initial phase of AMNOW will be instrumental in creating a solid foundation and a clear path on how to best advance AM technologies into the Army’s supply chain.”
Structured as a potentially multi-phase, multi-year contract, AMNOW is funded by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Aviation & Missile Center through the U.S. Army Manufacturing Science and Technology (MS&T) Division under the newly formed U.S. Army Futures Command. The initial phase of AMNOW, valued at 3.7 million USD in funding, was secured jointly by NCDMM in partnership with Catalyst Connection, a private not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Pittsburgh, part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network.
Petra Mitchell, Catalyst Connection President and CEO, added: “The AMNOW programme signifies a tremendous regional economic growth opportunity for small- to medium-sized manufactures within the SWPA region. By developing a fully integrated plan to help these local manufactures adopt AM technologies and demonstrate the return on investment of AM for them would be an economic game-changer for the manufacturing sector of our region.”
The initial phase will serve as the foundation to integrate and accelerate the dissemination, transition, and use of AM technologies for the Army to enhance operations.
“The insertion of AM technologies into the existing U.S. Army supply chain will undoubtedly enable significant strategic and tactical advantages for the Army and its state of overall readiness,” said Rob Gorham, NCDMM Executive Director of America Makes. “The ability to leverage AM technologies to produce low-volume, critical parts on-demand and on-site anywhere in the world could dramatically alter the Army’s supply chain, making it far more efficient and cost-effective.”
