DARPA Focuses on Advancing Additive Manufacturing of Microelectronics

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has launched the Additive Manufacturing of Microelectronic systEms program, a project that aims to revolutionize microsystems manufacturing using the latest technologies.

AMME Program Manager Michael Sangillo said the program aims to transform additive manufacturing by removing the design rules associated with traditional manufacturing and creating new technologies that open new opportunities for national security and other applications.

According to the agency, current manufacturing processes are blocked by tradeoffs between resolution and throughput of traditional manufacturing, including a low throughput when using precise 3D printing, DARPA .mil reported.

Additive manufacturing has been helping the government address several challenges and create new opportunities. In November 2023, crew members aboard the USS Bataan developed a component using a 3D printer to repair the vessel’s ballasting system.

Besides additive manufacturing, DARPA started collaborating with four defense contractors in December 2023 to create an experimental take-off and landing aircraft similar to the power of the V-22 Osprey helicopter.