Automation Alley Awarded $7.5 Million Phase I Army Task Order for Secure Distributed Additive Manufacturing

Automation Alley, Michigan's Industry 4.0 knowledge center, announced a Phase I $7.5 million Task Order with a Base and Option under the Industrial Base Analysis Sustainment program, administered through the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining IDIQ. The award, announced by PR Newswire, supports the U.S. Army's efforts to modernize defense supply chain sustainment through secure, distributed additive manufacturing.

Automation Alley's Project DIAMOnD Phase I Work

The effort is part of Project DIAMOnD, Automation Alley's flagship defense manufacturing initiative. Under this first phase, Automation Alley will lead the design and validation of a secure digital manufacturing environment that enables intellectual property-protected streaming of manufacturing instructions to a distributed network of AM equipment. Phase I technical work will include development of a secure encrypted digital workflow architecture aligned with Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification and National Institute of Standards and Technology cybersecurity standards, identification and validation of candidate polymer and metallic weapon system components, and production of additively manufactured parts using validated processes. A core deliverable is demonstrating secure, end-to-end transfer of smart product recipes to distributed manufacturers with complete digital quality assurance recipes for each part produced.

Automation Alley will execute the program in partnership with Markforged, a provider of industrial AM systems, and Fraunhofer USA, an applied research organization. NCDMM, which manages America Makes, will serve as the prime contractor. Markforged appointed Unotech as its exclusive distributor in Hong Kong, with a launch event held at the Hong Kong Productivity Council, according to Media-outreach.

"This award reflects years of work building a platform and a network capable of supporting the Department of War's most critical manufacturing needs," said Tom Kelly, Automation Alley executive director and CEO. "Phase I gives us the opportunity to demonstrate, in a real and rigorous way, that secure distributed additive manufacturing is not just possible — it is ready."

Automation Alley's Funding and Defense Diversification Record

Automation Alley is a Michigan-based nonprofit technology business association serving more than 12,000 state manufacturers with Industry 4.0 programming, industrial 3D printing, trade missions, cybersecurity training, and EV-supplier diversification support, according to akta.pro company records. The same records show total funding of $19.6 million, including a $2 million grant in June 2023 led by the U.S. Department of Energy and a $12 million grant in June 2020 with two investors. In June 2026, Automation Alley launched the Michigan Auto Supplier Transition Program with the Michigan Manufacturers Association to help small automotive suppliers diversify into aerospace, defense, EV, advanced energy, and advanced mobility markets.

Earlier Automation Alley Manufacturing Partnerships

In August 2026, Oakland University and Automation Alley launched the Advanced Manufacturing Center of Excellence at 2871 Research Drive in Rochester Hills, Michigan, a facility combining the university's engineering research and student talent with Automation Alley's industry network, according to DBusiness Magazine. The Oakland Press reported the same month that the center aims to accelerate advanced manufacturing technologies. In August 2026, Automation Alley also opened applications through September 15, 2026, for its November 8-13 trade mission to Mexico, connecting small and medium-sized Michigan companies with potential customers and strategic partners, according to Aijourn.

What Comes Next for the Task Order

The Phase I Task Order includes a Base and Option under the IBAS program, administered through the NCDMM IDIQ. Automation Alley will lead the design and validation of the secure digital manufacturing environment during this phase.