EWI Cooperative Research Program has been named the winner of America Makes' $13.2m INtegrated System for In-situ Testing & Evaluation (INSITE) project call.
INSITE is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of War, Manufacturing Technology Office (OSW ManTech).
Its objective is to establish an integrated AM quality‑assurance system that unifies in‑situ monitoring and post‑build inspection to strengthen defect detection, advance Department of War (DoW) priorities for more reliable AM qualification, and deliver production‑ready capabilities that enhance efficiency, readiness, and competitiveness across the U.S. supply base.
This combined in-situ and post-build nondestructive evaluation (NDE) approach aims to improve inspection of some of AM’s most challenging parts, including large components, dense materials, and complex geometries that are difficult to assess using traditional methods. By combining real-time production monitoring with accelerated post-build inspection and expert oversight, the approach seeks to strengthen quality assurance, support certification, and expand manufacturing capabilities for critical components. Rather than advancing individual sensing or NDE technologies in isolation, the program is focused on developing and demonstrating an integrated quality assurance system that unifies in-situ monitoring and post-build inspection within a certifiable framework.
“As additive manufacturing advances toward larger, more complex applications, the ability to reliably verify part quality is becoming increasingly critical,” said Ben DiMarco, Technology Transition Director at America Makes. “This initiative brings together advanced analytics, real-time process monitoring, and NDE to create a more comprehensive approach to quality assurance. By strengthening confidence in AM technologies, this work will help accelerate their adoption across the defense industrial base. We commend the winners for advancing this important and innovative effort.”
Alongside EWI, project team partners include:
