America Makes Launches Two Additive Manufacturing Project Calls Worth $25.6M

Why It Matters

The funding accelerates trusted metal AM adoption for defense, reducing reliance on legacy supply chains and improving part‑quality verification, which strengthens national security and industrial competitiveness.

Key Takeaways

• $25.6M funding for two defense-focused AM projects.
• MIAMI aims to replace legacy alloys with AM metals.
• INSITE integrates in‑situ monitoring with post‑build NDE.
• One award for INSITE, three for MIAMI expected.
• Proposals due July 9, 2026; webinars in May.

Pulse Analysis

America Makes, the nation’s premier public‑private partnership for additive manufacturing, is leveraging $25.6 million to address two critical gaps in defense production. The MIAMI (Maturation Initiative for Additive Metals Interchangeability) program, backed by the Office of the Under Secretary of War, seeks to generate validated data that proves metal AM components can meet or exceed the performance of traditional alloys. By focusing on material substitution, MIAMI aims to lower technical risk, streamline qualification pathways, and create a shared data repository that benefits both the Department of War and the broader industrial base.

The INSITE (Integrated System for In‑situ Testing & Evaluation) effort tackles a different challenge: quality assurance at scale. Funded jointly by the Under Secretary of War’s acquisition and manufacturing technology offices, INSITE will fuse real‑time sensor data with advanced post‑build nondestructive evaluation (NDE) to detect defects in complex, dense metal parts. This integrated approach promises faster, more reliable qualification of AM parts, reducing inspection bottlenecks for large components that are otherwise difficult to assess. The program’s phased gate structure ensures that sensor integration, data analytics, and NDE correlation are rigorously validated before moving to production‑ready status.

Together, MIAMI and INSITE represent a strategic push to modernize the defense supply chain through additive manufacturing. By proving material interchangeability and establishing a certifiable QA framework, the initiatives aim to cut lead times, lower costs, and enhance the resilience of U.S. war‑fighting capabilities. Companies that secure awards will gain early access to government‑validated processes, positioning them for future contracts and reinforcing America’s competitive edge in advanced manufacturing.