Maintenance Mindset: Science driving the future of manufacturing

Where science and industry intersect is often where the most exciting manufacturing innovations happen. From high-strength metal processing and additive manufacturing to quantum computing, advanced electronics, and space-based fabrication, breakthroughs are being driven by collaborations between universities, government, and industry partners. This science roundup highlights recent research and initiatives that connect cutting-edge R&D with real-world manufacturing applications, workforce development, and the next generation of industrial capabilities.

1. Additive manufacturing and high-strength metal processing advance industrial applications

Additive manufacturing and high-strength metal processing are teaming up to transform what’s possible in modern factories. From cold-spray printing and friction stir repair to artificial intelligence-driven quality control, researchers are not just printing parts—they’re engineering metals that can take a beating and maintain precision and changing where and how parts can be repaired. Imagine repairing a high-strength aerospace component on-site or producing complex, durable parts that traditional machining could never touch. This new research is on the way. 

Cold-spray additive manufacturing boosts Oklahoma’s research capacity

Oklahoma State University has installed a high-velocity cold spray additive manufacturing system, funded by the National Science Foundation, to advance research in impact bonding, glassy-alloy deposition, and high-strain-rate metal deformation. The system will expand student training opportunities and strengthen aerospace and defense partnerships, including work with Tinker Air Force Base. The new capability positions Oklahoma as a regional hub for advanced manufacturing R&D and workforce development.

Penn State team advances real-time testing in metal additive manufacturing

Penn State researchers, supported by $1.6M from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), are developing real-time fatigue assessment for 3D-printed metal parts as part of the agency’s SURGE program. The project aims to reduce reliance on lengthy post-build inspections by predicting fatigue properties during printing. Partnering with Southwest Research Institute, the team seeks to accelerate additive manufacturing certification for aerospace and defense applications.

U.S. Army funds Virginia Tech work on friction stir metal repair

Virginia Tech’s Hang Yu has received a major cooperative agreement from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to advance additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) for large-scale metal repair. The research aims to improve high-strength metal deposition, enable on-site repair with portable AFSD systems, and develop methods to recycle scrap metal into new components. The work spans materials science, statistics, artificial intelligence, and process control, with support from industry partner MELD Manufacturing.

UTA researcher wins National Science Foundation CAREER Award for AI-driven metamaterials additive manufacturing

Dr. Chen Kan at the University of Texas at Arlington has earned a $500,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award to integrate sensors and artificial intelligence for improved additive manufacturing of metamaterials. The team aims to identify which defects actually affect performance, enabling smarter in-process quality control. The work is designed to help small and mid-sized manufacturers adopt advanced additive manufacturing capabilities without heavy infrastructure investment.

2. Quantum computing accelerates industrial and research applications

Quantum computing may sound like sci-fi, but it’s rapidly becoming a tool for manufacturing problem-solving. The Department of Energy's national centers and platforms like Qblox’s QICK are bringing quantum hardware out of the lab and into real-world applications, simulating materials, optimizing supply chains, and crunching data faster than any classical computer could dream. It’s like giving engineers a supercharged crystal ball to predict, perfect, and simulate complex materials, supply chains, and new processes with unprecedented computational power.

DOE, Fermilab and Qblox scale quantum control for U.S. research

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is partnering with Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Qblox to manufacture the Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit (QICK) to support national quantum research and workforce development. Qblox will take on production, distribution, and long-term support, giving researchers across the country a scalable, commercially available quantum control platform. The partnership accelerates the transition of quantum hardware from prototype to full deployment.

DOE renews five quantum research centers with $625 million investment

The Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a $625 million funding package to renew its five National Quantum Information Science Research Centers (NQISRCs), initially established under the National Quantum Initiative Act of 2018.  Each center—led respectively by Brookhaven National Laboratory (C2QA), Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (SQMS), Argonne National Laboratory (Q‑NEXT), Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (QSA) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (QSC)—will focus on quantum computing, simulation, networking and sensing, and will develop tools and instrumentation for quantum‑enabled systems. The funding spans up to five years, with $125 million allocated in FY 2025 and future years subject to appropriation. 

3. Building U.S. manufacturing resilience through collaborative research and workforce training

Research centers and innovation hubs are where the research magic happens—where students, scientists, and industry pros collide to cook up the next generation of manufacturing tools. From smart factories to digital twins, these centers don’t just create new tech—they train the people who will run it. Think of them as innovation bootcamps, preparing a workforce that can keep American manufacturing nimble, efficient, and ready for whatever comes next.

Cal Poly Pomona opens $7.5M smart manufacturing research center

Cal Poly Pomona has received a $7.5M National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to create the Center for Research Advancement in Smart Manufacturing, with research focused on robotics, digital twins, extended reality, and cybersecurity for Industry 4.0. The center will train more than 120 students annually and collaborate with UC Riverside and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The goal is to strengthen U.S. manufacturing resilience through applied research and workforce development.

ASU and Michigan launch digital twin manufacturing research center

Arizona State University and the University of Michigan are launching an National Science Foundation (NSF) Industry-University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) focused on digital twins, AI, ultiphysics simulation, robotics, IoT, and supply chain modeling. The center will create industrial testbeds, allowing companies to pilot digital-twin technologies before deployment. Research will support scalable digital twin adoption across aviation, automotive, energy, and large-scale automation.

ISTB 12 at ASU opens as robotics-enabled manufacturing innovation hub

Arizona State University (ASU) has launched the Interdisciplinary Science & Technology Building 12 (ISTB 12), a 173,000-square-foot facility at the Polytechnic campus designed for applied research in additive manufacturing, robotics for smart manufacturing, semiconductors and factory automation. The lab space is structured for university-industry collaboration, real-world pilot projects and workforce training. For the manufacturing systems integration audience, the significance is the co-located research-to-deployment environment that supports high-mix, low-volume production system research and automation integration.

Nevada Tech Hub awards more than $15.5 million to strengthen Nevada’s lithium battery and critical materials supply chain

Nevada Tech Hub, led by University of Nevada, Reno, announced the award of $15.5 million across 17 projects aimed at strengthening the state’s lithium battery and critical-materials manufacturing ecosystem. The funding spans workforce development and training, supply chain research, manufacturing system upgrades, and innovation in recycling and battery production processes. Projects include manufacturing-line upgrades at Dragonfly Energy to enhance production and efficiency, as well as recycling initiatives led by Redwood Materials.

4. Pioneering advanced electronics and materials for next-generation manufacturing

When electronics and materials science join forces, the results are nothing short of spectacular. Flexible electronics, lightweight cryptography, ultra-tough heat shields, and CO₂-to-fuel reactors are opening doors to smarter, faster, and greener manufacturing. These innovations don’t just improve products—they could change how factories think about performance, safety, and sustainability. 

USC researcher earns NSF CAREER Award for liquid-metal electronics

University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering’s Hangbo Zhao has been awarded a $546,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award to develop scalable liquid-metal patterning technologies for stretchable electronics. The research combines self-assembly and transfer printing to enable new manufacturing capabilities for soft robotics, biomedical devices, and flexible sensors. The project also includes K-12 outreach to grow the next generation of electronics innovators.

Purdue Energetics Center modernizes explosive-material manufacturing

Purdue University has secured approximately $7M from the U.S. Department of Defense to advance safer, continuous processes for manufacturing energetic materials like propellants and explosives. Researchers are developing continuous-flow systems, real-time quality control, and bladeless mixing technologies to reduce risk and variability. The project will also create a modular test bed that integrates robotics and digital controls for future defense production.

Game-changing heat shield to revolutionize aerospace manufacturing with long-life engines

Researchers at Hanbat National University have developed a novel two-step B–Si pack cementation coating on a TiTaNbMoZr high-entropy alloy, demonstrating significantly improved oxidation resistance for high-temperature aerospace applications. The research addresses manufacturing challenges for materials operating above ~1100 °C, typical limits for Ni-based alloys, by enabling longer life, higher performance in engines through advanced coating methods built into scalable manufacturing. The work includes experimental validation and publication in the Journal of Materials Research and Technology, with implications for production of heat-resistant components in aerospace manufacturing supply chains.

NIST finalizes lightweight cryptography standard for constrained devices

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has finalized a new standard—Ascon-Based Lightweight Cryptography Standards for Constrained Devices—to protect data on small, resource-limited electronics such as those used in the Internet of Things (IoT). The standard defines four algorithm variants from the Ascon family, selected after a multi-year public review, that are optimized for low-power, low-memory devices while offering strong security and resistance to side-channel attacks. 

Minteer awarded NSF grant to develop sustainable fuel technology

Dr. Shelley D. Minteer of Missouri University Science & Technology, along with Dr. Fateme Fayyazbakhsh and the protein‑design startup Arzeda, secured a $7.8 million award from the National Science Foundation to build a biomanufacturing platform that transforms carbon dioxide into usable fuel. Their method combines electrochemical reactors and engineered enzymes: Minteer’s team will develop the electrodes/reactors, while Arzeda engineers tailor enzymes to drive the CO₂ conversion. This project leverages synthetic biology, electrochemistry, and scalable biomanufacturing to help close the carbon loop. 

5. Pushing the boundaries of manufacturing from Earth to the Moon and beyond

Space isn’t just the final frontier—it’s a high-stakes, high-tech testing ground for manufacturing innovation. Lunar aluminum extraction, in-space welding, and microgravity processes are teaching engineers lessons that translate straight back to Earth. Whether it’s building satellites, spacecraft, or future off-world habitats, space manufacturing is pushing the boundaries.

NASA grant expands UIC in-space welding and additive manufacturing research

The University of Illinois Chicago has received nearly $750,000 from NASA to advance in-space welding research using high-energy lasers and digital-twin modeling. The project, Weld-ASSIST, will model and validate welding processes under microgravity, vacuum, and thermal-extreme conditions. The resulting AI-enabled toolkit will guide parameter adjustments to achieve high-quality welds during space-based manufacturing and infrastructure construction.

Missouri S&T student awarded NASA fellowship to develop method to extract moon metal

A Ph.D. student in aerospace engineering at Missouri S&T, Jacob Ortega, has secured a NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunity award to develop a process for extracting aluminum from lunar regolith. His research centers on using molten-salt electrolysis to split aluminum oxide into pure metallic aluminum, a step toward using in-situ lunar resources for future construction. The method must contend with extreme temperatures and corrosive environments, making it relevant for both space-based manufacturing and high-temperature industrial processes.