DARPA has played a foundational role in the development of materials science. One of its latest initiatives, the Additive Manufacturing of Microelectronic systEms (AMME) program, aims to propel microsystems manufacturing to new heights.
AMME seeks to revolutionize microsystems production by leveraging advancements in additive manufacturing to create novel, multi-material microsystems with unparalleled speed, volume, and resolution. This approach would not only enhance commercial devices with innovative capabilities but also enable rapid adaptation to evolving mission requirements, similar to the transformative impact additive manufacturing has had on complex prototyping. DARPA’s goal with AMME is to overcome existing limitations in microsystems manufacturing.
The program aims to achieve significant breakthroughs in additive manufacturing by focusing on three key aspects: material quality, high resolution, and massive print throughput. AMME aims to enable the creation of microsystems with innovative geometries capable of integrating mechanical, electrical, or biological components.
Michael Sangillo, the program manager for AMME, emphasized that the initiative draws inspiration from recent advancements in selective material synthesis and volumetric additive manufacturing. The objective is to free designers from traditional manufacturing constraints and enable the development of novel microsystem technologies with applications in national security and beyond.
Traditional manufacturing methods face inherent trade-offs between resolution and throughput. AMME researchers will work to overcome these limitations by simultaneously synthesizing high-quality multi-materials at unprecedented resolution levels and speeds.
This endeavor will require the development of entirely new approaches to additive manufacturing, including the creation of precursor material combinations for rapid, multi-material printing. Additionally, researchers will tackle the challenge of achieving sub-micron resolution and rapid printing speeds. If successful, AMME aims to produce a penny-sized microsystem with 500 nm resolution in approximately three minutes.
Sangillo emphasized that AMME’s ultimate goal is to demonstrate novel, functional microsystems that push the boundaries of additive manufacturing capabilities, potentially enabling astronauts to perform on-demand repairs in space. The program will also focus on developing a commercialization strategy to ensure rapid adoption by the broader industrial community, including the Department of Defense and other government organizations.
Subscribe to AM Chronicle Newsletter to stay connected: https://bit.ly/3fBZ1mP
Follow us on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3IjhrFq
Visit for more interesting content on additive manufacturing: https://amchronicle.com
