Boeing and Northrop Grumman Have Joined AM Forward With Other Industry Leaders

The AM Forward initiative was announced just in May but already a number of leading players in the American manufacturing sector have pledged to it. Most recently, Boeing and Northrop Grumman have announced that they will also be taking part, joining GE Aviation, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies and Siemens Energy. These seven leading American manufacturers, and early adopters of additive manufacturing, have committed themselves to helping smaller U.S. based suppliers to increase their use of AM. The goal is to help American manufacturing not only make a comeback but also to improve global competitiveness, transform shop floors across the country and bolster supply chains.

Through this move and AM Forward, Boeing and Northrop Grumman will help to continue the Biden Administration’s goal to continue to support American manufacturing. A goal which they believe will be best achieved through the continued adoption of 3D printing across the country. Sue Helper, Senior Advisor for Industrial Strategy at the White House Office of Management and Budget further explained, “A priority of this Administration is to lower the cost of the goods and services that families rely on, and one of the best ways to do that is to make more things in America, with more secure and more resilient supply chains. AM Forward focuses on additive manufacturing to help us achieve these goals. We applaud Boeing and Northrop Grumman for recognizing the benefits of promoting additive manufacturing in their supply chains and for making public commitments to support broader adoption.”

Northrop Grumman and Boeing have both been long-time users of additive manufacturing (photo credits: Northrop Grumman)

How Will Boeing and Northrop Grumman Contribute to AM Forward?

As you might remember from our coverage of AM Forward back in May, by joining this initiative, these companies are making a public commitment to purchase parts made using additive manufacturing from smaller U.S. based suppliers. They also will help to train the workers of their suppliers in 3D printing technologies, provided detailed technical assistance to support the suppliers’ adoption of AM and engage in the development of common standards and certification for parts 3D printed parts. These steps are all critical in not only increasing adoption of additive manufacturing nationwide (especially considering that the most prominent barriers in its adoption is lack of training and resources) but in making it a serious contender against many more traditional manufacturing methods. Additionally, both companies have agreed to other public commitments.