Elementum 3D has been chosen by the U.S. Air Force to be included in the Enterprise-Wide Agile Acquisition Contract (EWAAC) indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) vehicle initiative. This contract, capped at $46B through 2031, funds an readiness to quickly meet PEO (Program Executive Officer) Weapons program requirements. The EWAAC IDIQ initiative will come from interagency collaborations and external agency allocations. No predetermined funding will be issued.

EWAAC IDIQ’s goal is to expedite the acquisition process with enhanced modernization efforts, including weapons systems requirements development, research and development, testing and evaluation, production and fielding, prototyping, weapon design, system modeling, and demonstrations. The contract emphasizes the implementation of digital acquisition and sustainment practices directed at maintaining the Air Force’s technological superiority, primarily emphasizing Armament and Digital Trinity (agile software development, open architecture, and digital engineering, aimed at facilitating a digital transformation) air armament-related activities.

Elementum 3D will integrate its extensive metal additive manufacturing expertise and high-performance materials knowledge to support the open, agile, and digital armament mission. The company has a proven track record of novel solutions, innovative ideas, and advanced materials that will inspire evolutionary, revolutionary, and disruptive capabilities for the United States. 

“The Elementum 3D team is ready to develop innovative capabilities that align with the nation's defense needs,” said Elementum 3D CEO and Founder Dr. Jacob Nuechterlein. “Our history runs deep with the U.S. Air Force, and we are honored to be part of this contract in support of the US armed forces.”

Additional information related to the EWAAC IDIQ contract:

• EWAAC awardees list
• EWAAC awards list
• On Ramp IV PAC Q & A

The American Center for Manufacturing and Innovation (ACMI) recently announced the 16 companies that have agreed to operate at their new Munitions Campus. Elementum 3D is proud to be selected by ACMI for its advanced capabilities and specialties with materials science and advanced manufacturing.

The Munitions Campus will be built on a portion of the ACMI Properties National Security Industrial Hub (NSIH), a new 1,141-acre development adjacent to Crane Army Ammunition Activity and Naval Surface Warfare Center – Crane (“Crane”) in Bloomfield, Indiana. The $75 million Munitions Campus Program was awarded to ACMI Federal by the Department of Defense to strengthen the munitions supply chain by stimulating private capital for shared-use facilities to scale up domestic munitions production capabilities and capacity. Design and construction activities are scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2025 with the facility opening in phases beginning in 2027.

The new campus is expected to help lower barriers to entry for emerging defense firms, broaden the range of capabilities and specialties together in one location, and enable a highly efficient and innovative industrial base to benefit both the defense and commercial sectors.

Elementum 3D has been supporting the Purdue Space Program-Active Controls (PSP-AC) team since last year (March Momentum article) and we are excited to report the 3D printed propulsion system they developed has achieved a criticle milestone. The teams first hot-fires of their TADPOLE rocket nozze printed with A6061-RAM2 material was a huge success! The PSP-AC rocket nozzle propulsion system uses isopropyl alcohol and liquid oxygen as propellants to produce 550 pounds of force. 

Hot-fires video link

Join NASA on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 2:00 pm (ET) for a webinar with Elementum 3D.

Elementum 3D's Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Jeremy Iten, will share the company's journey from startup to industry leader in additive manufacturing. Discover how Elementum 3D is redefining what's possible with 3D printing, enabling high-performance applications in aerospace, automotive, and beyond. Attendees will learn how collaborating with NASA helps push the boundaries of 3D-printed rocket engine technology. Jeremy will also speak about the challenges, breakthroughs, and real-world impact of Elementum 3D's innovations.  

Read the full Spinoff story with NASA here. 

It has been months since NASA launched the Lunar Additive Manufacturing project through its HUNCH program and the competitors list is down to six high schools. The additive manufacturing (AM) project challenges high school students to design and present innovative AM designs to solve real-world product development in diverse areas. Elementum 3D is proud to be selected as the HUNCH program official AM material supplier and laser powder bed fusion printer for this project.

NASA relies on innovation in many areas such as software, hardware, biomedical science, and even culinary, but what about tarp stakes? Yes, even tarp stakes. One of the biggest problems with being on the moon is the dust rising while walking on its surface. The remedy may be securing tarps with stakes designed by high school students. The tarps will act as sidewalks to reduce the dust the astronauts get into.

The lunar AM project objective is to design, 3D print, and test a stake, that is anchored in lunar regolith by astronauts wearing a pressurized space suit. The stake designs are Judged on the amount of material used to 3D print a high strength, lightweight aluminum stake using the least amount of support material to successfully print the design. The stake will then be tested on its ability to be drilled into a lunar regolith simulant and how much force is needed to pull the 6-inch-long stakes out of the mortar mix used to simulate the moon’s surface.

The project is now in its final stage. The judges have narrowed the designs to the following six high schools: Chatfield 1, Clear Creek 1, Chatfield 2, Jackson Hole, Erie, and Clear Creek 2.

The Lunar Additive Manufacturing project is just one of many that fall under the HUNCH program mission, which is to empower and inspire high school students through a project-based learning program. Assisting in launching students careers through participation in the HUNCH program continues Elementum 3D’s initiative to support the advancement of young minds.

This podcast is a must hear for anyone interested in metal 3D printed materials. Dr. Jacob Nuechterlein, Elementum 3D CEO/Founder does a 55 minute AM materials brain dump with 3DPOD podcast hosts Joris Peels and Maxwell Bogue.