Project Announcement: Direct Digital Manufacturing Initiative

The U.S. Army is pursuing the use of direct digital manufacturing (DDM)/Additive Manufacturing (AM) to improve the performance of turbine engines and to better meet the maintenance and sustainment requirements for current and future aircraft. It seeks an external partner to identify parts for the T700 engine that are well-suited to production via DDM/AM and that can be leveraged for future engine programs. It is also interested in conducting trial builds to determine process tolerances and in improving surface finishes to eliminate mechanical-property knockdowns and enable lightweight designs.

DDM/AM has the potential to greatly decrease the cost and difficulty of manufacturing complex aircraft components. With the expense of purchasing new aircraft, it is critical for fleet operators like the U.S. Army to find methods for replacing components that may no longer be supported by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or that need immediate, low-cost replacement.

To learn more about this project contact CTMA@ncms.org. We encourage the participation of Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs), including Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and Women’s Business Enterprises (WBEs).