The Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) received a $499,994 grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, to form a consortium that will leverage public-private partnerships to close technology gaps in advanced manufacturing in the aerospace sector. 

The main objective of the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortium (AMTCA) is to create a strategic roadmap in order to prioritize technology gaps and initiate the establishment of certification standards required for the declaration of flight worthiness of advanced manufactured (AM) aerospace parts. In addition, university courses and training programs will be developed to help educate the current and future workforce regarding this new field of manufacturing.

Industry partners that have already joined AMTCA include:

Alcoa

Federal Aviation Administration

Lockheed Martin

Lorain County Community College

MAGNET

NASA Glenn Research Center

RP+M

SAE International

United Technologies-Aerospace Systems

“This collaboration involves key stakeholders from all levels of the aerospace value chain as well as a standards organization, academia and government laboratories,” said Dr. Andrew Gyekenyesi, associate chief scientist and manager of the Turbomachinery and Propulsion Systems Group at OAI, who is the architect and lead for the project. “From small parts manufacturers to major aerospace primes, this consortium will help the industry identify and prioritize critical needs that require solutions prior to the wide-scale implementation of AM fabricated parts. One example of advanced manufacturing includes the much publicized additive 3D printing for both plastics and metals.”

OAI received one of 16 grants awarded by NIST for projects that aim to bolster the growth of the U.S. manufacturing sector. The agency's Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia Platform awarded $7.8 million in total grants.

Unlike many other manufacturing sectors, much of the aerospace work is retained within the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the sector employs 500,000 workers in scientific and technical jobs and supports another 700,000 plus jobs in related fields.

Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said the promotion of the U.S. manufacturing industry plays a key role in the Commerce Department's Open for Business Agenda and the grants “will support public-private partner collaboration that boosts advanced manufacturing, which is critical to supporting economic growth.”