DoE Unveils $33M for Smart Manufacturing

The Department of Energy’s (DoE) Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) released a $33 million funding opportunity to accelerate the advancement of smart manufacturing technologies.

Recipients of funding from this opportunity will support research to develop smart manufacturing technologies that improve the efficiency and economics of circular supply chains; advance sustainable transportation manufacturing; accelerate the development of high-performance materials for the clean energy transition; and create more sustainable, safe, and competitive mining in the United States.

“Smart manufacturing solutions are critical to domestically manufacture next generation clean energy technologies more economically, more efficiently, and at the higher quality and scale we need to be globally competitive,” said AMMTO Director Christopher Saldaña. “This funding opportunity offers developers a chance to have an incredible impact on the future trajectory of our nation’s manufacturing sector and elevate our nation’s most promising technological advancements in the process.”

The funding will support smart manufacturing solutions that increase the viability of circular supply chains, such as recycling, repairing, remanufacturing, and reuse, by improving their efficiency and economics, DoE said. This includes improving technology for sorting materials during recycling; fostering more interoperable and open supply chains to help remanufacture products; and enhancing the availability and transparency of data critical to bolstering market acceptance of secondary materials.

The funding will also support smart manufacturing technologies that make tooling and equipment for sustainable vehicles faster and more economical. This includes automation to improve productivity and system performance.

DoE’s $33 million will focus on developing, validating, and prototyping new high-performance materials and their manufacturing processes. This includes developing high throughput strategies for conductivity-enhanced and harsh environment materials testing and creating competitive manufacturing and assembly approaches.

Lastly, the funding will be focused on developing novel smart manufacturing technologies that can be applied to create more sustainable, safe, and competitive mining in the United States. This includes establishing smart manufacturing technologies that can provide health, safety, environmental, and economic benefits; and advancing new and transformative mining technologies.

Applicants must submit a concept paper by Aug. 22 to be eligible to submit a full application, which will be due Nov. 18. DoE said it plans to announce award winners in April 2025.