Office of Naval Research (ONR) Additive Manufacturing Alloys for Naval Environments (AMANE) | N00014 17 S F003

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00014 17 S F003

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) Additive Manufacturing Alloys for Naval Environments (AMANE) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number N00014-17-S-F003; CFDA 12.300) supports applied research aimed at creating new metal alloy compositions that are specifically optimized for additive manufacturing and can survive harsh naval and maritime exposure. The core problem ONR is trying to solve is that, while additive manufacturing (AM) has matured rapidly and works well for many standard alloys (for example, certain stainless steels, titanium alloys, and nickel-based superalloys), many Navy-relevant or Navy-unique alloys do not have reliable AM-ready equivalents. In practice, the thermal cycling, high cooling rates, residual stresses, and microstructural features common in AM can make conventional alloy chemistries perform poorly, especially when corrosion and environmental stability are critical. AMANE is meant to close that gap by developing alloys and processing strategies that produce additively manufactured parts with mechanical strength and corrosion resistance appropriate for real naval service conditions.

Technically, AMANE emphasizes an Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) approach tightly coupled with hands-on experimental work. Proposers are expected to use modeling and simulation tools to explore how alloy chemistry interacts with AM processing conditions and post-processing treatments, and then validate those predictions experimentally. The intent is not just to print parts and test them, but to build a cause-and-effect understanding that connects (1) composition choices and feedstock chemistry, (2) AM process parameters such as energy input and scan strategies, and (3) post-processing such as heat treatment or hot isostatic pressing, to the resulting microstructure (phases, precipitates, distributions) and finally to measurable performance outcomes. Those outcomes include both mechanical properties (strength and related structural performance) and electrochemical/corrosion behavior relevant to saltwater and maritime environments.

The program’s main deliverable is an optimized alloy composition window and an associated AM processing window that can repeatedly produce robust components with the targeted strength and corrosion resistance. ONR is looking for research that can predict and then demonstrate the phase evolution and precipitate behavior during build and post-build processing, and that can translate those microstructural predictions into performance predictions that hold up in validation testing. A related objective is to clarify how newly developed AM materials compare to their conventional counterparts, including any differences in mechanical properties, stability, and environmental resistance that arise because AM creates different microstructures than casting, forging, or wrought processing.

While the program is broadly about AM alloys for naval environments, ONR notes a particular interest in powder bed fusion (PBF) as the eventual focus area, even though other AM processes may be used earlier in development if helpful. Proposals are encouraged to tie the research to a concrete Navy application or a specific Navy alloy need, and to explain why AM is beneficial for that component (for example, enabling complex geometry, reducing part count, improving logistics for low-volume parts, or supporting limited-lot production). Additional consideration is mentioned for alloy compositions that fall within existing Department of Defense qualified or approved composition windows, which signals an interest in smoother transition pathways and reduced qualification risk when possible.

AMANE also leaves room for proposals on other Navy-unique AM topics, provided they are strongly justified, such as developing alloys that can achieve acceptable properties without extensive post-processing. That kind of direction matters for expeditionary or forward-deployed manufacturing scenarios, where elaborate heat treatment infrastructure may be limited and where “print and use” capability is strategically valuable.

Eligibility is fairly open to responsible sources in academia and industry, and ONR explicitly encourages participation from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs). At the same time, the announcement states that there is no set-aside for small businesses or other socioeconomic categories. Certain federal entities cannot be direct award recipients under this FOA: Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), including Department of Energy national laboratories, are not eligible to receive awards directly, and Navy laboratories, military universities, warfare centers, and other federal laboratories are similarly not eligible to submit white papers or proposals directly. However, those organizations may participate through teaming arrangements with eligible prime applicants, as long as those arrangements are allowed under their governing agreements or contracts. University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) may apply unless their specific DoD UARC contract restricts that.

ONR also signals that this is an integrated program environment: teams are encouraged, and applicants must be willing to cooperate and exchange software, data, and other information with other contractors and ONR-selected system integrators. Finally, proposers are put on notice regarding export controls and ITAR compliance. Since some DoD-funded developmental items can fall under the U.S. Munitions List, proposals are expected to address whether ITAR restrictions apply to the work and resulting technologies.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is a discretionary research and development grant administered by ONR, with an original closing date of February 15, 2017, and an opportunity creation date of December 15, 2016. The posted summary does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, so prospective applicants would typically need to consult the full solicitation package or contact ONR points of contact for details on typical funding levels, performance periods, and submission requirements.

• The Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Office of Naval Research (ONR) Additive Manufacturing Alloys for Naval Environments (AMANE)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-12-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-02-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

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