Open Additive LLC of Beavercreek, Ohio, has been awarded a $2.94 million, 27-month Air Force Commercial Readiness Program (CRP) contract to advance its metal additive-manufacturing (AM) technology and product line to industrial scale. The contract builds on the company’s prior Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) portfolio and independent research to develop versatile open-architecture laser powder-bed fusion systems with advanced processing and in-situ monitoring capabilities.

The new CRP contract seeks to develop and demonstrate a prototype quad-laser powder-bed fusion platform with full user control of standard and advanced processing parameters, multi-sensor monitoring and feedback control, and integrated heated build plate with a 24-inch x 24-inch build area (600-mm x 600-mm), all configured within a versatile form factor.