America Makes, the nationwide accelerator for additive manufacturing innovation, and its managing companion, the Nationwide Middle for Protection Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), have introduced a brand new open mission name funded by the Workplace of the Below Secretary of Protection, Manufacturing Expertise Workplace (OSD ManTech). The initiative, titled Corrosion of Additive – Examined At Element Scale (CATACS), supplies $1.3 million in whole funding to assist the event and validation of a framework for corrosion testing of metallic additively manufactured elements. Two awards are anticipated, with proposals due by December 2, 2025, and award bulletins deliberate for January 6, 2026.
CATACS targets a essential barrier to the adoption of metallic additive manufacturing (AM) in protection: the shortage of standardized corrosion testing and qualification protocols. AM permits the fast, customizable manufacturing of complicated elements, but components fabricated utilizing this expertise typically show microstructural and floor variations that differ from conventionally manufactured metals, resulting in distinct corrosion behaviors. The initiative will consider corrosion on the element scale below sensible operational situations, specializing in two main areas.
Subject 1, Corrosion of AM Parts at Elevated Temperatures, addresses components utilized in high-temperature purposes, assessing corrosion efficiency below consultant environments similar to pressure-vessel situations, fuel-air mixtures, and metallurgical interactions with adjoining supplies. Subject 2, Corrosion of AM Parts for Thermal Administration, examines thermal administration elements uncovered to working fluids throughout various thermal gradients and sophisticated inner channels. Each focus areas intention to determine constant knowledge assortment strategies that mirror end-use situations extra precisely than coupon-level testing.
“CATACS is about placing actual AM {hardware} to the take a look at in harsh situations — as a result of corrosion will discover the weak factors,” mentioned Ben DiMarco, Expertise Transition Director at America Makes. “We’re asking proposers to deliver their greatest components, set a plan to emphasize them in excessive environments, and let the ocean assault. That’s CATACS.”
Eligible tasks should exhibit validated prototypes and manufacturing processes moderately than early-stage ideas. Proposals ought to align with Expertise Readiness Ranges (TRL) 4–7 and Manufacturing Readiness Ranges (MRL) 4–7, indicating demonstration in related environments and pilot manufacturing functionality. Subawards are permitted below the RFP offered recipients meet federal compliance and eligibility necessities. Value-share credit earned by participation could also be utilized towards America Makes membership charges for future cycles, although credit will finally expire if unused.
America Makes was established to speed up the event and deployment of additive and 3D printing applied sciences that strengthen U.S. manufacturing readiness. Its applications typically goal essential protection challenges similar to materials qualification, provide chain resilience, and course of validation. By supporting component-level testing, this initiative goals to generate corrosion efficiency knowledge relevant throughout a number of alloys and manufacturing situations related to protection and aerospace environments.
Further clarifications from the mission Q&A underscore the utilized nature of this system. Proposers might embrace additive design variations of their corrosion research, outline their very own “high-temperature” parameters primarily based on supplies and use circumstances, and combine AI or machine studying fashions for corrosion prediction below this system’s mental property framework. Consultant testing ought to simulate becoming a member of strategies and assembled half situations however doesn’t want to duplicate full system configurations. Whereas particular knowledge portions will rely on testing methodology, emphasis is positioned on component-scale validation moderately than laboratory coupons.
The mission timeline features a kickoff webinar on October 16, 2025, with proposer questions due by October 23, and membership eligibility confirmed by November 20. Full proposal submissions shut at 5 p.m. ET on December 2, 2025. Particulars and registration hyperlinks can be found by the official CATACS portal.
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Featured picture reveals program overview graphic for CATACS mission name. Picture through America Makes.
