NCDMM seeks partners to develop metal alloys and manufacturing processes
November 26, 2024
The US Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Innovation Capability and Modernization (ICAM) Office — in collaboration with The US National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), headquartered in Johnstown, Pennsylvania — is currently soliciting technical white papers for a Request for Information to explore the development and transition of metal alloys and manufacturing processes that may enhance the capabilities of current and future defence platforms and weapons systems.
At the moment, many of the US DoD’s platforms are built on materials systems and manufacturing methods dating to pre-Cold War, according to NCDMM. Despite advances in material research and processes, these innovations often struggle to make it into weapon systems because of the need for mature material systems and specifications early in the design process. Another issue may is the lack of early-stage funding to bring materials to a Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) that aligns with key programme milestones.
“For the past generation, most DoD-funded materials development has focused on cost savings and reducing construction timelines,” said Matthew Draper, Technical Director – Metallurgy and Manufacturing, ICAM. “However, in today’s era of renewed global power competition, there’s an urgent need to accelerate the transition of breakthroughs and discoveries into deployable equipment and capabilities.”
The RFI for Accelerated Capability Metals Enterprise (ACME) aims to accelerate the transformation of innovations, inventions, and scientific discoveries into operational equipment and capabilities, specifically seeking to advance the development and transition of new, high-performance metallic alloy systems and associated manufacturing processes with enhanced properties. The request is open to all application domains, including sea, air, land, and space.
Submission guidelines
White papers submitted in response to this RFI must outline approaches for developing and implementing materials and processing techniques that enhance the performance and operational readiness of DoD platforms, as outlined in the RFI. White Papers should be structured to address Phase I and II objectives. Phase I proposals must focus on the manufacturing of an article, representative of a casting, forging, plate, or welding/Additive Manufacturing consumable for a DoD end-use application. Inclusion of Phase II encompasses the development of first article samples with all associated characterisation required to execute a certification event and the associated generation of a material and or process specification.
Submitters must indicate how a prototype will be developed and manufactured to address relevant technical challenges. The prototype must prove the operational practicality and benefits of the proposed material and/or process. At the start of the technical approach, identified technologies must be at least Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 or higher and advance to at least TRL 6 by the end of Phase I. The Phase II effort should then progress the work to TRL 8 or higher. Multiple submissions are permissible, but each may only cover one specific topic area.
The deadline to submit responses is January 31, 2025.
More details, including the submission form, are available here.
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