LIFT, the Detroit-based Department of Defense-supported national advanced materials manufacturing innovation institute, today announced it will open its new state-of-the-art Advanced Metallic Production and Processing Center (AMPP) in 2025.
Located at LIFT’s Detroit headquarters and advanced manufacturing facility, operated by the American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute (ALMMII), the new center will deliver high-quality metal powder, wire, and rod feedstocks across all alloy classes at a development scale to support the breadth of additive manufacturing processes on the market today, and all curated by LIFT’s team of materials scientists.
LIFT is located in Corktown at 1400 Rosa Parks Blvd. (12th Street), which is south of Michigan Avenue and east of Michigan Central.
AMPP is expected to bring new synergies and collaborations to LIFT’s 385-member ecosystem, defense collaborators, and the broader national manufacturing industrial base by including:
- Original equipment manufacturers
- Systems manufacturers
- Materials producers
- Materials developers
- Application developers
- Part manufacturers
- Academia
- Start ups
“LIFT’s new capability exemplifies a core mission of the Department of Defense manufacturing innovation institutes to bridge gaps in the U.S. defense industrial base,” says Keith DeVries, director of manufacturing technology under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
The announcement was made at the Defense Manufacturing Conference in Austin, Texas.
“Today’s world of advanced manufacturing, particularly the advancements in manufacturing processes, require the development of new, novel materials enabling manufacturers to bridge the gap between concept, prototype testing, product feasibility and production,” says Nigel Francis, executive director and CEO of LIFT.
“This new capability will efficiently and effectively drive the acceleration of new materials and processes to market, from the United States, for the warfighter and cross-sector manufacturers. This is especially relevant to many forms of additive manufacturing.”
When fully operational in Detroit in early 2025, LIFT’s AMMP facility will offer:
- Low to medium material production volumes.
- Accelerated material delivery and availability.
- Toll processing.
- Contract manufacturing.
- Domestic production.
- Operation through a nonprofit, public-private partnership.
Customers can begin placing pre-orders for materials in advance by contacting LIFT here.
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