TLDR: The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has allocated over $1.8 million in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I awards to 18 small businesses. A significant portion of these grants, totaling six months of research funding from August 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026, is directed towards advancing additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, including projects in 3D printing standards, real-time monitoring, metal powder bed fusion, machine learning for quality control, and sustainable electronics.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency under the U.S. Department of Commerce, has announced the distribution of more than $1.8 million in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I awards to 18 small businesses. These grants are designed to fund six months of critical research, spanning from August 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026, with the potential for up to $400,000 in follow-on Phase II support. The primary objective of these awards is to assess the technical merit and commercial viability of novel technologies.
While the SBIR awards encompass a diverse array of fields, including artificial intelligence, environmental remediation, semiconductor materials, and emergency response, additive manufacturing (AM) projects have emerged as a key area of investment, highlighting their strategic importance to the future of U.S. industry and the development of resilient supply chains.
Several notable projects focused on 3D printing include:
Advancing Standards and Quality in 3D Printing: Advanced Cooling Technologies, based in Pennsylvania, received $106,499. This funding will support pre-standardization research into 3D-printed porous structures, crucial for spacecraft heat transfer systems. The initiative aims to establish reliable testing and manufacturing standards, accelerating the adoption of these components in aerospace applications.
Real-time Monitoring and Strain Imaging: Advanced Materials Design from Michigan secured $100,000. Their project focuses on developing a real-time strain imaging tool for AM, which will monitor stresses and viscosity during the printing process. This technology is expected to optimize printing speed, reduce defects, and unlock new possibilities for material development, thereby enhancing part quality and consistency.
Improving Metal Powder Bed Fusion: Intact Solutions in Wisconsin was awarded $106,500 to create a simulation tool for multi-laser powder bed fusion. This technique is considered one of the most promising in metal AM. The simulation tool will facilitate the prequalification of process parameters and minimize defects, enabling the scaled-up production of large, high-performance components for sectors such as aerospace, defense, and medical.
Machine Learning for Quality Control: X-wave Innovations, a Maryland-based company, received $100,000. Their project involves integrating machine learning into in-situ monitoring for laser powder bed fusion. The goal is to improve the reliability and performance of metal AM systems for both commercial and defense applications.
Sustainable Electronics through 3D Printing: ChemCubed, located in New York, was granted $99,865 to develop a biodegradable, 3D printable dielectric material for printed circuit boards. This innovation merges the flexibility of additive manufacturing with sustainability goals, potentially revolutionizing electronics manufacturing.
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These awards underscore NIST’s commitment to fostering innovation in critical technological areas and reinforce the pivotal role of additive manufacturing in shaping next-generation industrial capabilities and strengthening national supply chains.
