America Makes and NCDMM Launch $1.3M CATACS Initiative to Standardize Metal AM Corrosion Testing

Why It Matters

Standardized corrosion testing removes a key qualification barrier, enabling faster adoption of metal AM in critical defense systems and reducing program risk.

Key Takeaways

• $1.3M funded by OSD ManTech for corrosion testing
• CATACS targets high‑temp and thermal‑management corrosion
• RTX leads elevated‑temperature track; Mines leads thermal‑management track
• Program aims to create component‑scale testing standards
• Will accelerate defense certification of metal AM parts

Pulse Analysis

Additive manufacturing has become a strategic enabler for the defense sector, allowing rapid production of complex, lightweight components. Yet metal parts printed layer‑by‑layer often exhibit microstructures that behave differently under corrosive stress, especially in maritime or high‑heat environments. Without a universally accepted testing regime, program offices face lengthy qualification cycles, driving up costs and limiting the technology’s operational deployment. The corrosion gap therefore represents both a technical and a logistical hurdle for the Department of Defense’s modernization agenda.

The Corrosion of Additive – Tested At Component Scale (CATACS) initiative seeks to close that gap with a focused, $1.3 million investment from the Under Secretary of Defense’s Manufacturing Technology Office. By dividing the effort into two tracks—elevated‑temperature corrosion led by RTX Technology Research Center and thermal‑management corrosion coordinated by Colorado School of Mines and its extensive partner network—the program blends industry expertise with federal research labs such as NIST and Oak Ridge. The teams will develop, validate, and document component‑scale test protocols that reflect real‑world service conditions, providing a repeatable framework that can be adopted across the defense industrial base.

If successful, CATACS will reshape how metal AM parts are qualified for naval vessels, aerospace platforms, and ground systems. A standardized testing suite reduces uncertainty for contractors, shortens time‑to‑field, and supports a domestic supply chain for corrosion‑resistant alloys like copper‑nickel. Moreover, the data generated will feed into broader standards bodies, potentially influencing civilian aerospace and energy sectors that face similar corrosion challenges. In short, the initiative promises to accelerate the transition from experimental prints to certified, mission‑critical components, reinforcing U.S. manufacturing readiness.

Deal Summary

America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining announced a $1.3 million funding initiative, Corrosion of Additive – Tested At Component Scale (CATACS), to develop standardized corrosion testing methods for metal additive manufacturing parts used in defense. The program awarded two project teams – RTX Technology Research Center for elevated‑temperature corrosion and Colorado School of Mines for thermal‑management corrosion – to lead the research.