Accelerating Innovating in Defense Manufacturing
America’s economic strength and security are inseparable from our domestic manufacturing capabilities. A robust domestic industrial base is a cornerstone of energy, health, safety, and security. Yet many of our current supply chains—from machine tools and medical equipment to automotive parts and aerospace components—depend on foreign sources.
Our advanced manufacturing research aims to democratize the defense supply chain, creating new economic opportunities for American businesses and competitive advantage for our national security.
We're building a secure future
We're building a secure future
As US manufacturing has declined at large, so have the supply chains and innovation required for defense applications, including the materials needed for extreme operational environments. To accelerate innovation in national security, ORNL is leveraging the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility and combining synthesis, real-time characterization, HPC, and data science to achieve breakthroughs in integrated materials design and secure manufacturing technologies.
Our advanced materials and manufacturing research aims to democratize the defense supply chain, creating new economic opportunities for American businesses and competitive advantage for our national security.
Research Focus Areas
Materials for Extreme Environments
Many defense components, including hypersonic vehicles, operate in harsh environments. We’re advancing materials and process science related to additive manufacturing of refractory metal components. By developing exotic alloys and controlling both their geometry and properties, we can ensure their successful performance without degradation.
Thermal Protection Systems
Current processes for producing thermal protection systems are costly and time-intensive. ORNL has developed novel processes and rapid preforming technologies that are transforming the pace, quantities, and cost at which components can be manufactured.
Additive Manufacturing for Casting & Forging Replacement
Many defense systems require massive cast and forged components, which come with long lead-times and constrained supply chains. ORNL’s demonstrated ability to additively manufacture large, high-precision products could revolutionize the castings and forgings industry by reducing cost, lifecycle times, and waste—without sacrificing quality.
Machine Tool Innovation
As US manufacturing has declined at large, so have the machine shops, supply chains, and machine tool innovations required for nearly every product we consume, including defense components. ORNL research is increasing the precision of existing machine tools and developing advanced capabilities—all with a focus on re-shoring a vibrant, domestic machine tool industry and associated workforce.
Key Facilities and Programs
MDF
MDF is the United States’ foremost R&D facility for advanced manufacturing and is driving the adoption of new materials, software, and systems for energy and national security applications. MDF leverages fast-track user agreements to work with companies of all sizes to rapidly innovate solutions.
CFTF
The Carbon Fiber Technology Facility, a DOE User Facility at ORNL, is developing scale-up science and technologies for fiber manufacturing and associated fabrication of functional components for energy and defense applications.
America's Cutting Edge
ORNL supports America’s Cutting Edge, or ACE, a DoD initiative seeking to restore the prominence of the US machine tool sector. In collaboration with the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation and the University of Tennessee, ACE has provided no-cost online machining training to more than 12,000 people from all 50 states.
Convergent Manufacturing
The Future Foundries platform integrates multiple advanced manufacturing technologies—wire-arc AM, heat treatment, inspection, and machining—into a single, agile, cost-effective cell. The platform aims to democratize advanced manufacturing for small- and medium-size manufacturers and increase their productivity for greater US economic competitiveness.