University of Illinois receives $9M DoD award to develop new Additive Manufacturing methods for large metal parts
May 14, 2025
The US Department of Defense has awarded $8.15 million to the University of Illinois’ Grainger College of Engineering, Champaign, Illinois, USA, to establish what is reported to be the world’s first university research centre focused on developing new Additive Manufacturing methods for large metal parts. The centre will operate with a total budget of $9.06 million.
Under the leadership of Illinois Grainger Engineering mechanical science and engineering professor Bill King, the research centre will focus on efforts to develop, validate, and use digital twins to improve domestic semiconductor design, manufacturing, advanced packaging, assembly, and test processes. These innovations will enable the military to rapidly produce customised large components for its ground vehicle fleet, creating a more agile, efficient, and secure supply chain.
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University researchers will collaborate with the US Army through the DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) and the Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center (RIA-JMTC). Together they will address critical challenges in large-scale metal part manufacturing using additive techniques and design industrial processes to support widespread adoption of the technology.
The US Army’s interest in partnering with Illinois Grainger Engineering stems from its ongoing commitment to maintaining readiness and resilience through technologies like advanced manufacturing. As the operational landscape grows increasingly complex, the ability to manufacture large metal parts at the point of need will significantly enhance supply chain agility, reduce logistical strain, and improve vehicle uptime across Army formation. Through this collaboration, the Army aims to accelerate the adoption of Additive Manufacturing methods that support distributed production, improve material efficiency, and integrate advanced design methodologies for faster, more reliable part replacement.
David Gorsich, Chief Scientist at GVSC, said, “At GVSC, we remain at the forefront of advancing Army readiness by pushing the boundaries of Advanced Manufacturing. Partnering with Grainger Engineering gives us access to world-class research that will help us answer fundamental questions about large-scale metal Additive Manufacturing and bring those answers to bear on real-world applications.”
“This collaboration is a game-changer for our capabilities at both GVSC and RIA-JMTC. It enhances our ability to produce certified, high-quality parts faster, while integrating new materials and advanced design tools that reduce vehicle downtime and streamline the logistics chain,” Gorsich added.
Illinois Grainger Engineering Dean Rashid Bashir, commented, “The launch of this new manufacturing centre, under the leadership of Bill King, marks a significant step forward in our commitment to transforming technologies that serve our nation’s defence and manufacturing sectors. At Grainger Engineering, we are tackling the most pressing challenges in advanced manufacturing and engineering the future through innovation, impact, and excellence.”
Beyond the Army and Illinois Grainger Engineering, the initiative will directly support the economy of the Quad Cities Region surrounding RIA-JMTC by expanding manufacturing capabilities. It will also reduce US dependence on foreign manufacturing for metals, contribute more resilient ground vehicles for the Army in the future, and create jobs for Illinoisans.
“With today’s announced funding, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will be at the forefront of cutting-edge education, research, and development that fortifies our national defence,” US Senator Dick Durbin said. “By supporting large metal Additive Manufacturing research in collaboration with Rock Island Arsenal, this project will reduce US dependence on foreign manufacturing for metals, contribute more resilient ground vehicles for the Army in the future, and create jobs for Illinoisans. I will continue to push for federal funding that supports national defence operations in our state.”
“It’s wonderful that this area of manufacturing strength within Illinois Grainger Engineering has connected so well with RIA-JMTC and GVSC,” University of Illinois System Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation Jay Walsh said. “This project will create huge impact for manufacturers connected to the Army’s supply chain, bolster the Quad Cities’ workforce, drive innovation in manufacturing and expand economic opportunities across the state.”
Additive Manufacturing represents a paradigm shift from traditional manufacturing methods, in which parts are mass-produced in large batches then stored until needed. Traditional processes are slow and ill-equipped to respond to evolving conditions. With an additive approach, the design is built up by continuously layering materials, much like a consumer AM machine, to produce individual parts as needed. Orders can be filled immediately, and the same machine can be reprogrammed to build many different parts.
“To illustrate the difference, imagine that a vehicle breaks down and needs a new part which is not available in your warehouse,” King said. “With traditional manufacturing, you would need to build a production process from scratch. Two years can pass from the order to the delivery of the first part. With Additive Manufacturing, you just load the design onto the machine, it prints off the part right then and there, and you know exactly where it came from and how it was made.”
While Additive Manufacturing has been used to manufacture metal parts in the medical and aerospace industries for years, it has only been well-studied for relatively small parts – typically a few inches or less. To be useful to military vehicles, parts sized three feet or more need to be made. Much less is known about how to make these larger parts, and there are open questions that need to be answered before the Defense Department adopts the technology.
The goal of the new centre is to provide definite answers about the material properties and quality of large metal parts made with additive methods. The researchers will also study how to operate the machines to create high-quality parts and develop support technologies related to sensing, material characterisation and analysis software.
A key component of the centre is to provide definite answers about the material properties and quality of large metal parts made with additive methods. The researchers will also study how to operate the machines to create high-quality parts and develop support technologies related to sensing, material characterisation and analysis software.
A key component of the centre will be a factory demonstration facility to be constructed in the Research Park at Illinois. It will consist of two large metal AM machines for research and development. They will allow new designs, materials and processes to be tested in a controlled setting.
“It’s exciting that we’re going to have this capability because the costs involved in high-end manufacturing don’t often leave room for R&D,” King said. “With this environment, we have room for learning, discovery and development while also addressing important, practical questions for the military.”
The centre will be led by King and co-led by Sameh Tawfick, an Illinois Grainger Engineering mechanical science and engineering professor, and Magdi Azer, the associate director for manufacturing science of the Applied Research Institute in Illinois Grainger Engineering.
