This past September, the AFORGE Advanced Manufacturing team attended the Joint-Defense Additive Manufacturing (AM) Meeting for Innovation and Transition (J-DAMMIT) conference in Harrisburg, PA., bringing together key players from the Department of Defense, industry, and academia. J-DAMMIT has quickly become a hub for collaboration, and coordination with the goal of strengthening our national security manufacturing capability.
Discussing how manufacturing can support national security, we sat down with Bob Cable, CEO of AFORGE, to get his take on J-DAMMIT’s impact, its, highlights, and emerging technologies that are shaping the future of the industry.
The Competitiveness of Security
The overarching theme of J-DAMMIT 2024 was about strengthening national manufacturing capabilities to keep pace with global competitors. Organized by Harrisburg University and CimQuest Inc., the conference emphasized the need for collaboration between the supply side (the DoD) and demand side (AM manufacturers and service bureaus) to build an agile, resilient domestic manufacturing ecosystem.
This collaborative approach is a strategic move toward staying competitive with near-peer nations who are rapidly advancing in this space. “We’ve proven we can work hard; now we need to prove we can work smart,” Bob noted, summarizing the spirit of the conference. The core message was clear: success in this sector depends on teamwork, mutual support, and the continuous sharing of knowledge and resources—a philosophy that could be considered “the J-DAMMIT way.”
Emerging Technologies
One of the most exciting aspects of J-DAMMIT 2024 was the focus on the practical advancements in AM technology, rather than flashy, emerging innovations. Bob shared that the real impact wasn’t in unveiling a single-groundbreaking technology but rather in showcasing the industry’s ongoing commitment to refining and accelerating existing processes.
The traditional manufacturing world of casting, forging, and milling have been maturing for over a century, and AM technologies have been around for decades. But only recently has AM seen the rapid development and subsequent settling out AM techniques. In some sense, the more rapid developments and advancements have given the general public the impression of “whiz-bang” innovations virtually every year. However, the reality is that AM advancements are rooted in continuous improvements versus completely brand-new developments.
Cable’s prime examples for industry-driving developments in AM is the reduction in build time from, in some cases, 30 hours to just 12 hours- or combining additive manufacturing with precision milling. This combination of additive and subtractive is advanced manufacturing. Efficiency improvements like these are not only exciting but also have far-reaching implications for productivity, cost-effectiveness, and the overall competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing capabilities. At J-DAMMIT 2024, attendees saw a wealth of examples of these efficiency gains in action, underscoring the industry’s dedication to innovation and improvement.
AFORGE’s Role in the Future of AM
When we asked Bob where AFORGE fits in this industry, he stated that AFORGE has the unique benefit of leveraging a wealth of experience as a traditional services-based government contractor with all the qualifications, certifications, and most importantly government contracting expertise to quickly support the manufacturing needs of the federal government.
Participating in J-DAMMIT 2024 reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting national security through additive manufacturing. Our capabilities combine additive, advanced, and full fabrication. AFORGE is well-positioned to meet the growing demand for most production solutions.
As we look to the future, AFORGE will continue participating in events like J-DAMMIT, seeking opportunities to collaborate and contribute to a stronger, more secure manufacturing industry. For now, the message from J-DAMMIT is clear: the path forward lies in working smarter, not harder, and building and strengthening the government-industry partnership needed to ensure the United States remains a leader in manufacturing.
