YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining announced Tuesday a new open project call funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate.
The initiative, called Affordable and Agile Composite Additive Manufactured Structures (AACAMS), is valued at $450,000. The project seeks to create a set of roadmaps and reports that will guide future Department of Defense and industry investment in continuous fiber additive manufacturing. One award is expected.
The study will examine the current composite additive manufacturing landscape, identify technology gaps limiting adoption, and outline attributes that must be developed before the technology can be deployed in defense products. The Department of Defense has prioritized continuous fiber additive manufacturing, or CFAM, for its ability to produce strong, lightweight parts by combining plastics with long fibers such as carbon or fiberglass.
Advocates say the technology could enable rapid, flexible fabrication of parts for weapons and support platforms at lower cost, with the ability to shift quickly between part types as production demands change.
“Today’s warfighter faces a dynamic landscape that demands increased speed, agility, and acute precision to effectively compete,” said John Martin, additive manufacturing research director at America Makes. “This project serves as an opportunity to advance AM through a strategic roadmap to integrate AM technologies into production, accelerating defense resilience and the warfighter’s advantage.”
Key dates for the project call include:
- Anticipated award announcement: Nov. 28, 2025
- Launch: Aug. 27, 2025
- Kickoff webinar: Sept. 4, 2025 (registration required)
- Questions due: Sept. 11, 2025
- Membership eligibility deadline: Oct. 17, 2025
- Submission deadline: Oct. 28, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET