Stratasys Secures $7.8M Grant to Advance Defense-Ready Additive Manufacturing
Event summary
- $7.8M grant awarded to Stratasys under the 2026 America Makes and DoW OIB Modernization Challenge.
- Funding supports development of on-site quality assurance for F3300™ and F900® industrial FDM platforms over 24 months.
- Project aims to enable real-time process data capture during additive manufacturing, reducing reliance on post-build inspection.
- Target applications include defense, aerospace, commercial aviation, and other regulated industries.
The big picture
This initiative addresses a critical barrier to scaling additive manufacturing: verifying part quality efficiently. By enabling real-time data capture during production, Stratasys aims to reduce inspection burdens and accelerate adoption across highly regulated industries. The project aligns with broader defense modernization efforts to strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and supply chain resilience.
What we're watching
- Adoption Pace
- How quickly in-situ quality assurance capabilities will drive broader adoption of additive manufacturing in production environments.
- Defense Dependence
- Whether Stratasys can leverage this project to secure additional defense contracts and reduce reliance on commercial markets.
- Competitive Positioning
- The pace at which competitors develop similar real-time monitoring solutions for additive manufacturing platforms.