$5M Project Call Targets Breakthroughs in Additive Manufacturing Inspection
America Makes, in collaboration with the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), has announced a new open project call—Quality Test and Inspection Methods Expediency (QTIME) – backed by $5 million in funding from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSD ManTech). The initiative aims to advance non-destructive inspection (NDI) technologies for additive manufacturing (AM), with a focus on laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and directed energy deposition (DED) processes.
QTIME is seeking proposals that can accelerate the development and deployment of both in-situ and ex-situ NDI solutions capable of inspecting large and geometrically complex AM components. The project anticipates awarding funding to five proposals that demonstrate the most mature, near-commercial technologies ready for industrial-scale implementation.
As AM continues to push the boundaries of part complexity and size, consistent and cost-effective quality assurance remains a critical challenge. The lack of robust, scalable inspection methods for intricate and internal features can impede broader adoption. QTIME aims to address this gap by leveraging cutting-edge analytics and automation to reduce inspection costs, shorten production timelines, and ensure confidence in part integrity and performance.
The QTIME Request for Proposal (RFP) outlines three primary topic areas:
NDI for Large AM Parts: This area seeks innovative methods to non-destructively inspect large-format AM parts, with the goal of cutting NDI costs by at least 50% compared to existing technologies. Materials of interest include Ti 6Al-4V, Inconel 718, and stainless steels commonly used in LPBF and DED applications.
Inspection of Complex AM Geometries: Focusing on small-scale, repetitive structures such as lattice geometries within LPBF parts, this topic aims to develop in-situ inspection technologies capable of resolving features smaller than 5–10 mm. Solutions should also support mechanical modeling to predict deformation or failure from defects in these intricate structures.
Industry Transition Team (ITT): This component is designed to facilitate the transition of emerging inspection technologies into industry. With no established AM-specific NDI standards currently in place, the ITT will serve as a bridge connecting ongoing America Makes projects, industry needs, and standardization efforts to accelerate the adoption of validated inspection practices.
Full proposal details and submission guidelines are available through the official RFP documentation.
For more information: www.americamakes.us
