America Makes and the NCDMM have launched the CATACS program, backed by $1.3 million from the Department of Defense. The goal is to address a gap in metal additive manufacturing: the absence of standardized protocols for evaluating corrosion in critical defense components. The focus will be on two demanding environments: high temperature and thermal management systems.
Focus on high-temperature corrosion and thermal management 🔬
The initiative will focus on developing reproducible testing methods for two key scenarios. The first is corrosion under high-temperature conditions, common in engines and turbines. The second is thermal management systems, where the interaction between coolants and printed metals can cause wear. Establishing these standards is necessary to predict service life and ensure reliability in applications where failure is not an option.
Because rust is not an acceptable camouflage color ⚠️
Imagine delivering a critical component for a defense system and the technical report says: presents an avant-garde rust finish not specified in the drawings. Without testing standards, it's a bit like trusting that your old car won't disintegrate because it looks fine. CATACS seeks to avoid that artisanal approach to deterioration, replacing the eyeballing with data. After all, in this sector, what rusts, is lost.