Virginia Launches Workshops to Modernize Defense Manufacturing Through Metal Additive Technology

A new series of workshops across Virginia seeks to transform the state's defense manufacturing landscape by introducing small and mid-size machine shops to metal additive manufacturing technologies. The Reconfigure Virginia's Manufacturers for Modernization Program (Re-VAMMP) represents a strategic effort to modernize the defense industrial base through technological innovation.

The workshops, scheduled across four Virginia locations including Norfolk, Richmond, Weyers Cave, and Roanoke, will provide comprehensive training on metal additive manufacturing. Participants will learn about the critical role of advanced manufacturing techniques in maintaining competitive edge and meeting evolving defense sector requirements.

Neal Orringer, President of ASTRO America, emphasized the program's significance, noting that independent manufacturers are crucial to the defense supply chain. By adopting additive manufacturing technologies, these shops can potentially lower production costs, enhance reliability, and expand their technological capabilities.

Guest speakers from AUSTAL USA and the Navy Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence will provide insights into qualification processes for U.S. Navy supply chain opportunities. This component of the workshops offers practical guidance for manufacturers seeking to leverage new technological skills into tangible business advantages.

The initiative addresses a critical need in the manufacturing sector, where technological adaptation is increasingly essential for survival and growth. Metal additive manufacturing represents a transformative approach that allows for more complex, lightweight, and customized component production compared to traditional manufacturing methods.

By focusing on small and mid-size machine shops, the program aims to democratize access to advanced manufacturing technologies. This approach could potentially revitalize Virginia's manufacturing ecosystem, creating more resilient and competitive local industries.

The workshops are part of a broader strategy to support manufacturing innovation, with organizations like GENEDGE playing a key role in facilitating technological transformation. By providing training, consulting, and programmatic solutions, these efforts aim to help Virginia's manufacturers remain competitive in an increasingly technology-driven global marketplace.