America Makes names $1.7M JAQS-SQ funding recipients
America Makes, Youngstown, Ohio, USA, and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) have announced the winners of a recent project call funded through the Office of the Under Secretary of War, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSW ManTech), worth a total of $1.7M. The project call, Joint Additive Qualification for Sustainment – Supplier Qualification (JAQS-SQ) – Group 1, aims to accelerate the integration of non-traditional suppliers and scale defence industrial base (DIB) capabilities by training and supporting manufacturers to meet required process control documents (PCDs) for qualified Additive Manufacturing production. Up to five awards were anticipated.
The lack of robust AM training and audit programmes that meet established standards, coupled with a restrictive, part-by-part qualification process that limits capacity and efficiency, continues to undermine government confidence. This project offers a significant opportunity to strengthen the AM supply chain by better aligning it with government acquisition requirements. By developing comprehensive training and audit programmes, the JAQS-SQ efforts ensure that AM contract manufacturers implement essential process controls, fostering efficient and qualified production for government needs.
The winning companies are:
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The award announcement represents the first group of suppliers under the JAQS initiative. Group 1 includes six suppliers focused on advancing Laser Beam Powder Bed Fusion (PBF-LB) production capabilities in support of the DIB. America Makes is currently reviewing submissions for the JAQS-SQ Groups 2 and 3, with additional award announcements anticipated this summer.
