America Makes and NCDMM announce winners of $1.2M EARTH Project for sustainable Additive Manufacturing
January 16, 2024
The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and America Makes have announced the winners of the $1.2 million Environmental Additive Research for Tomorrow’s Habitat (EARTH) Project funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD(R&E)) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
As the importance of Additive Manufacturing in the US’s manufacturing landscape increases, it is crucial to emphasise sustainable practices that encourage the reutilisation and recycling of AM materials, states America Makes. The recipients of the EARTH project awards will play a crucial role in identifying and validating AM designs and materials that consistently meet the necessary qualifications and performance standards for end-users.
“There is the need to acknowledge the potential environmental impact of AM innovations within the manufacturing industry, even as it invests resources in research and development,” stated Brandon Ribic, Technology Director at America Makes. “We applaud the efforts of the awardees in exploring sustainable approaches for reusing and recycling AM materials and designs. Their initiatives are expected to make a substantial contribution to reducing waste, conserving energy, and mitigating carbon emissions. The forward-thinking of our industry partners demonstrates a commitment to understanding sustainable AM practices which will influence future adoption of the technology in a variety of sectors.”
The winners of the award were:
- Project 1: Accelerating Additive in Department of Defense (DoD) Applications of High-Performance Recycled Polymers
- Team Lead: IC3D, Inc.
- Project Team: 3Degrees, Harrisburg University, The Ohio State University
- Project 2: Powder and Process Optimization for Sustainable Additive Manufacturing (POSAM)
- Team Lead: RTX Technology Research Center
- Project Team: 6K Additive, The University of Arizona
During the execution phase of the programme, project teams will provide progress updates at events such as the America Makes Technical Review and Exchange.
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