The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) has unveiled a funding opportunity worth $33 million to accelerate the development and deployment of smart manufacturing technologies. These technologies are crucial for the nation’s clean energy transition and will contribute to the advancement of innovative materials and processes.
Smart manufacturing involves the use of advanced technologies, such as digitalization and artificial intelligence, to enhance the performance, productivity, quality assurance, and security of the manufacturing sector. AMMTO Director Christopher Saldaña emphasized the significance of smart manufacturing solutions in enabling the domestic production of next-generation clean energy technologies in a more cost-effective, efficient, and competitive manner.
The funding opportunity aims to support research that focuses on four key areas: smart manufacturing for a circular economy, sustainable transportation, high-performance materials, and domestic mining. In the context of circular supply chains, the funding will be directed towards improving the efficiency and economics of recycling, repairing, remanufacturing, and reuse processes. This includes enhancing the identification, sorting, and characterization of materials for effective recovery and recycling.
For sustainable transportation, the funding will promote the development of smart manufacturing technologies that expedite the production of tooling and equipment for electric vehicles. The goal is to make the manufacturing process faster, more cost-effective, and capable of reducing component defects while enabling new functionalities.
In the realm of high-performance materials, the funding opportunity seeks to advance the discovery, validation, and prototyping of new materials and their manufacturing processes. Emphasis will be placed on materials used in the clean energy transition, such as those with high conductivity and resilience to harsh service conditions.
Lastly, the funding will support the development of smart manufacturing technologies for the mining industry. This will enable more sustainable, safe, and competitive mining operations in the United States, leading to a resilient and secure domestic supply of critical minerals and materials. The focus will be on implementing sensors, controls, and automation to enhance health, safety, environmental, and economic aspects of mining.
Interested applicants must submit a concept paper by August 21, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET to be eligible for a full application. Further details can be found in the funding opportunity announcement on EERE Exchange. For specific inquiries, contact SM.FOA.FY24@ee.doe.gov.