ASTRO Newsletter September
Greetings from ASTRO!
In today’s issue:
- Upcoming Workshops for Virginia-Based Metal Manufacturers
- ASTRO America President Joined by AM Leaders for Panel Discussion at IMTS 2024
- Senator Jack Reed Guam Visit
- GAMMA Guam Student Update
- ASTRO in the News
- ASTRO’s New Addition
- Coming Up
–––
Reconfigure Virginia’s Manufacturers for Modernization Program Holds Upcoming Workshops for Virginia-Based Metal Manufacturers
ASTRO America is pleased to be supporting Virginia Tech’s work with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to build a common understanding on the benefits and requirements of Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM). The Reconfigure Virginia’s Manufacturers for Modernization (Re-VAMMP) program aims to increase the adoption of metal additive manufacturing of Virginia’s defense industrial base, particularly in small and medium size independent machine shops.
Together with Virginia’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership Genedge, ASTRO is providing assistance in organizing a series of transformative workshops to shed light on this important topic. The defense industrial base faces a number of modernization challenges. Reliance on legacy aircraft, vehicles, and other weapon systems, in conjunction with supply-chain bottlenecks, has delayed investment and innovation in advanced production tools. Consequently, a critical need exists to adopt and implement digital manufacturing technologies, to reduce cost, improve reliability, and implement new capabilities. Department of Defense (DoD) end-users (including prime contractors and program offices) rely heavily on independent machine shops for parts. In essence, they form the backbone of the defense manufacturing supply-chain but, in general, do not always have the expertise and capabilities to produce parts with critical high-tech processes, such as AM.
To explore these dynamics and find potential solutions, ASTRO is proud to be joining four upcoming workshops across Virginia Tech’s campuses.
For more information, click here:
To register for individual workshops:
- October 8th, 2024, 9a-5p, Virginia Tech Newport News Center, 700 Tech Center Pkwy Suite 305, Newport News, VA 23606
- October 10th, 2024, 9a-5p, Virginia Tech Richmond Center, 2810 N. Parham Rd, Suite 300, Richmond, VA 23294
- November 12th, 2024, 9a-5p, Blue Ridge Community College – Plecker Center, One College Lane, Weyers Cave, VA 24486
- November 14th, 2024, 9a-5p, Roanoke Higher Education Center, 108 N Jefferson St, Roanoke, VA 24016
–––
ASTRO America, Stifel’s North Atlantic Capital, and ASTM International Led Discussion on ‘Access to Capital for Advanced Manufacturing’
Additive Manufacturing Leaders Talked About Investment Strategy to Accelerate Critical Technologies and Modernize Supply Chain Resilience
On September 12th, ASTRO America, North Atlantic Capital, a Stifel Company, and ASTM International led a panel discussion at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, IL on innovative approaches for catalyzing the injection of private capital into critical defense supply chains and creating a pathway for American small businesses to adopt critical manufacturing technology.
Neal Orringer, President of ASTRO America, Mark Morrissette, Managing Director, Stifel-North Atlantic Capital, and Richard Huff, Director of Industry Consortia and Partnerships, ASTM International, discussed the challenges for businesses to access capital, the opportunity of public-private partnerships as an investment strategy, and the capacity of a newly-launched private equity fund to provide essential financial support to small and medium-sized manufacturers, in a panel session called “Access to Capital for Advanced Manufacturing.”
Earlier this year, ASTRO America and Stifel North Atlantic announced their partnership to build a private equity fund as part of the administration’s SBIC Critical Technologies (SBICCT) initiative, a historic U.S. SBA-Department of Defense collaboration to bolster U.S. national security and the Defense Industrial Base without reliance on deficit funding, while supporting American small businesses. The new fund is vital to U.S. national security and competitiveness and will help modernize key supply chains, aiding in the accelerated adoption of technologies that are increasingly important to America’s defense and aerospace industries.
The panelists highlighted the role key leaders in manufacturing supply chains and qualification/standards– including ASTM– will play in advising the fund’s managers, including goals of ensuring smart investments in infrastructure and technology that help U.S. aerospace and defense industries over the long term. A key component of the Biden Administration’s AM Forward initiative is helping small/medium sized suppliers address three challenges to adoption of critical manufacturing technologies: access to capital, workforce development and retraining, and qualifying AM processes for specific component production.
–––
ASTRO and U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee Chair – Senator Jack Reed in Guam
ASTRO is immensely grateful to United States Senate Committee on Armed Services Chairman Senator Jack Reed and his staff for traveling to Guam and meeting with our Executive Director, Jason Gorey. We were honored to recognize his visit to the Indo-Pacific by conferring a 3D printed submarine to him in commemoration.
A recognized leader on U.S. national security, including Indo-Pacific issues, Sen. Reed was able to visit several strategic sites in the region recently. His steadfast support for submarine industrial base issues also make him a natural partner in addressing needs for continually modernizing America’s submarine industrial base– whether in New England or places like Guam.
–––
GAMMA Guam Student Update
ASTRO America is partnered with the Government of Guam, BlueForge Alliance, and the U.S. Navy to develop a Guam Additive Materials and Manufacturing Accelerator (GAMMA) center. This effort advances U.S. national security by enabling parts on-demand to forward-deployed Navy forces. But it will also help support economic development, with a new mechanical engineering education center, advanced production facility, and testing/evaluation capabilities.
As part of this effort, ASTRO has helped bring five Guam residents to Virginia where they are now enrolled in the U.S. Navy’s twenty-two week advanced manufacturing program within the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM). Through this program, these students receive hands-on technician-level training. Following this coursework, ASTRO will immerse the students in a research environment to learn about manufacturing and industrial part inspection laboratories at US-based universities and centers. Our hope is that these students will represent the new generation of manufacturers who will help lead Guam’s additive manufacturing revolution.
Each month, we’re featuring one of the students to share what it means to be a part of this historic effort to bring AM capabilities to Guam. Here is the second student profile:
Josiah Art Tenorio Quitugua is currently a senior in the School of Engineering at the University of Guam. He is pursuing a career in engineering with hopes to provide sustainable solutions and practices to support Guam’s development. “I am very excited to join the ATDM program and learn about additive manufacturing. I think it is an amazing opportunity to bring something new to the island that can support many of our people,” he said.
The idea of becoming more familiar with 3D printing peaked his interest in additive manufacturing. “I feel that 3D programs, 3D printers, and the skills to use them have been becoming more accessible lately. Just seeing that growth inspired me to learn more for myself. Eventually, I realized the capabilities of 3D printing as a manufacturing process rather than just a fun art medium. I was mind-blown when I found out concrete 3D printing was a thing, and then even more so when I learned that you can 3D print with metals.”
When considering this historic effort to bring additive manufacturing to Guam, Josiah said, “It’s exciting to be a part of these plans that will bring many opportunities to the island. I am super excited to see the development of the satellite campus that will be offering degree programs for this field. I hope that many locals will be inspired to take these opportunities and pursue a career in additive manufacturing.”
In his spare time, Josiah loves creating art. “I deeply admire the gifts of this world and I try my best to capture its beauty in my artwork,” he said. He primarily makes digital paintings and takes much of his inspiration from nature.
–––
ASTRO in the News
ASTRO America’s GAMMA implementation plan delivered to the Guam Bureau of Statistics & Planning months ago continues to make news. This time, with the Pacific Island Times highlighting Guam’s strategic role as an essential outpost for the United States trilateral agreement with the UK and Australia, or AUKUS.
“GAMMA also has the potential to serve as a hub in the Indo-Pacific for educating and training members of the Australian industrial base and perhaps personnel that support the Royal Australian Navy,” Orringer said.
The full article can be found here.
–––
Additionally, the GAMMA center had a small feature in Guam Business Magazine:
In February, the Applied Science & Technology Research Organization of America or ASTRO America, in partnership with the Leon Guerrero Administration and the U.S. Navy Strategic Submarine Command, announced plans to establish an additive manufacturing technology and workforce education center on Guam. This initiative is part of the governor’s efforts to diversify the island’s economy.
The new center is designed to serve a dual purpose: advancing national security and supporting economic development on Guam. By developing a skilled workforce in key STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers, the center aims to contribute to both these goals.
–––
Congratulations, Ratul Pradhan! Our former fellow was recently featured on Gettysburg College’s website, where his experience at ASTRO was noted as a part of his many achievements.
This past summer, Pradhan took part in an Eisenhower Institute Summer Fellowship at the Applied Science and Technology Organization (ASTRO) of America in Washington, D.C. where he helped enhance manufacturing capabilities associated with the White House AM Forward initiative. This program aims to help lower costs for American families by improving the competitiveness of America’s small-and-medium-sized manufacturers, creating and sustaining high-paying manufacturing jobs, and improving supply chain resilience through adoption of additive manufacturing.
The full profile can be found here.
ASTRO’s New Addition
ASTRO’s Executive Director, Jason Gorey, and wife Lauren (as well as big sisters Thatcher & Valor) welcomed Archer Spartan Gorey into the world on Sunday, September 15th, at 2:18am. Weighing in at 6lbs, 13 ounces, Baby Archer and Mom are happy and healthy.
Please join us in sending Jason and the whole family best wishes!
Coming Up
- The Reconfigure Virginia’s Manufacturers for Modernization (Re-VAMMP) Workshop for Virginia-Based Metal Manufacturers (Oct 8 – Newport News, VA)
- From Prototyping to Production: The Growth and Potential of Additive Manufacturing RAMP MD’s 10th Anniversary Symposium (Oct 9 – Aberdeen)
- The Reconfigure Virginia’s Manufacturers for Modernization (Re-VAMMP) Workshop for Virginia-Based Metal Manufacturers (Oct 10 – Richmond, VA)
- ASTM International Conference on Advanced Manufacturing 2024 (Oct 28-Nov 1 Atlanta)
- Defense Manufacturing Conference (December 2-5 – Austin)
- AMGTA Annual Member Summit (June 24 – Los Angeles)
- RAPID+TCT (June 25-27 – Los Angeles)