ASTRO America July 2025 Newsletter

Aug 5, 2025

Greetings from ASTRO America!  👋

In this month’s issue:

  • ASTRO America, ASTM International, and FSU InSPIRE Announce Finalists for Inaugural 3D Printing Tech Challenge
  • ASTRO in the News
  • ASTRO in Action
  • Coming Up
ASTRO America, ASTM International, and FSU InSPIRE Announce Finalists for 3D Printing Tech Challenge 🔧

ASTRO America, in collaboration with ASTM International’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence and Florida State University’s Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research, & Education (InSPIRE), is pleased to announce the five finalists chosen to participate in our Actionable In-Situ Awareness Challenge, an inaugural tech challenge and showcase that will identify promising sensors and monitoring capabilities.

Jentek Sensors, Additive Assurance, Phase3D, Applied Optimization, and Addiguru will participate in a three-month challenge to demonstrate commercially viable “in-situ monitoring and data analytics solutions” for metal additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing.

Over the next month, each company will install and test their monitoring systems on ASTRO America’s industrial-scale metal 3D printers at Maritech Machine in Panama City, Florida. Their task: to collect meaningful in-process data and demonstrate how their solution delivers quantifiable value to end users across defense and aerospace sectors.

“Despite a long-standing understanding of the importance of monitoring and data analytics in additive manufacturing, users still lack clarity on which solutions offer genuine value,” said Dr. Abdalla Nassar, Vice President, ASTRO America. “This challenge is designed to help separate effective solutions from less impactful ones.”

All five finalists will participate in a demonstration week this summer, during which they will capture data, including time-lapse imagery and performance logs, as part of their installation. A videography team will also document the process for promotional and judging materials. Final results will be presented during a public showcase event taking place August 26-27, 2025, in Panama City.

Read the full release here.

ASTRO in the News 📰

Spotlight on GAMMA

This month, The Guam Daily Post profiled Alex Benham, ASTRO America’s newly appointed Director and General Manager of the Guam Additive Materials & Manufacturing Accelerator (GAMMA).

The article explores Alex’s vision for building a forward-deployed manufacturing base on the island, strengthening the Navy’s supply chain, and growing a local talent pipeline to support Guam’s historic military buildup.

Read the full story here.

In a related interview with National Defense Magazine for their August issue, ASTRO President Neal Orringer and Alex Benham offer deeper insight into how GAMMA is addressing strategic gaps in the Indo-Pacific, delivering supply chain resilience, and advancing additive manufacturing capability where it’s needed most:

Full online article here.

Spotlight on the Actionable In-Situ Awareness Challenge

Following the announcement of the five finalists selected for ASTRO America, ASTM International’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence, and FSU InSPIRE’s inaugural Actionable In-Situ Awareness Challenge, the news was picked up by several leading industry publications, including:

Congratulations again to JENTEK Sensors, Additive Assurance, Phase3D, Applied Optimization, and Addiguru! We look forward to showcasing their cutting-edge monitoring technologies at the August Showcase in Panama City, Florida.

ASTRO in Action 🎤

ASTRO Midwest team members were honored to attend the Change of Command Ceremony at Rock Island Arsenal-Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center (JMTC) this month to recognize the outstanding service of Dave Guida, COL, DML TS-SCI, Commander, JMTC.

ASTRO America extends our sincere thanks to Col. Guida, and wishes all the best to Col. Eloy Martinez as he assumes command. We recognize and appreciate both leaders for their dedication to strengthening America’s industrial base and supporting the warfighter. We look forward to continuing our work with the JMTC to advance cutting-edge manufacturing solutions like the Jointless Hull.

Col. Guida with the ASTRO Midwest Team

Coming Up 📅