America Makes announces AM Cross Platform Consistency project call
America Makes, Youngstown, Ohio, USA, has announced a new directed project call focusing on Methods for Additive Manufacturing Cross-Platform Consistency (AM-CPC), with a $250,000 funding opportunity provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). One winner is anticipated.
The AM-CPC project call is focused on advancing measurement science research for the reproducibility of Additive Manufacturing processes. The project is a collaboration between NIST, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and America Makes, and includes the development of test methods, measurement tools & data, physics-based models, and the technical basis for standards for characterising & improving feedstock materials, process variables, system performance, mechanical properties, part quality, and system integration for the digital thread. The project also emphasizes AM standards development through the ANSI Additive Manufacturing Standardization Collaborative.
AM-CPC proposals must outline neutral manufacturing plans to foster an understanding of consistency for multiple metal Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) machines. Successful outcomes from this project call will address testing methods and requirements, data collection practices & requirements, and demonstrate how manufacturing data may foster meaningful comparison of multiple metal PBF-LB machines. These findings and data aim to help accelerate Additive Manufacturing process qualification and deliver a measurement method specification that may be used for analysing various PBF-LB equipment.
“The continued engagement and participation in project calls by the America Makes membership remains critical to fostering a greater understanding of AM and its development into a prevalent and accepted manufacturing technology,” stated Brandon Ribic, Technology Director, America Makes. “Through our collaboration with NIST and AFRL, we look forward to demonstrating the potential to increase US manufacturing competitiveness, as well as the development and deployment of reproducible and reliable AM technologies to meet defense and commercial needs.
The registration deadline is April 7, 2023, by 5:00 ET. The award is expected to be given May 9.