Winners of America Makes’ Latest $6M Materials Project Announced

The National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) and America Makes have announced the recipients of the $6 million Powder Alloy Development for Additive Manufacturing (PADAM) project.

Supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the PADAM project, announced in August last year, aims to improve AM for aerospace and defense applications by focusing on data-driven approaches to novel AM metal materials. It focuses on advancing high-temperature metals and is divided into two areas: $3.6 million for High-Temperature Refractory Alloys and $2.4 million for High-Temperature Nickel-Based Superalloys.

An Initiative for Materials R&D

As per America Makes, the PADAM project has funded two key research efforts. Led by aerospace component manufacturer Castheon, the first research focuses on high-temperature refractory alloys and is titled “Maturing AM Technology for C-103 in Hypersonics and Space (MATCHAS).” 

This project involves a range of collaborators, including 3Degrees, Amaero, AP&C Advanced Powders & Coatings, ATI Specialty Alloys and Components, Benchmark Space Systems, Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, FormAlloy Technologies, Lockheed Martin, NASA John H. Glenn Research Center, NSL Analytical, Rolls-Royce, and Spirit AeroSystems.

Spearheaded by Boeing, the second initiative targets high-temperature nickel-based superalloys. The project is named “Accelerated Maturation of Advanced High-Performance Ni-Based Superalloy ATI-1700 for Additively Manufactured Extreme Environment Components,” with collaboration from ATI Specialty Metals, Quintus Technologies, and RPM Innovations.