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Nikon AM Synergy has gotten a DLA contract under the JAMA IV IDIQ Pilot Parts Program. The contract with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is a step forward for Nikon in helping the US government produce more parts at scale with additive manufacturing. The DLA is one of the most important parts of the US military, managing any and all logistics, warehousing, delivery, and a lot of procurement of goods needed by the military. From recycling used bullet casings to buying fuel, the 26,000-strong agency is the one sourcing the uniforms, meals, and water for all US soldiers everywhere.
The work will be carried out at Nikon’s AM Technology Center in Long Beach, California, which focuses on naval, defense, aviation, and space applications.
Being part of this system, therefore, is not a science project but something that requires real parts used by real people all over the place. The JAMA IV program is an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity one that,
“Seeks to establish an additive manufacturing (AM) supplier base by awarding multiple contracts to vendors capable of producing complex parts using various AM modalities, including Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Directed Energy Deposition, Material Extrusion, cold spray, and binder jetting.”
Across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, the contract in total (so also portions not allocated to Nikon) will be up to a maximum of $10 million. A lot has been going on around this program lately with requests, reviews, and definitions flying about. The program literally goes from ABS to Inconel and all the processes. The important thing here is that we’re essentially getting codified with processes, definitions of materials, definitions of process steps, definitions of pricing, and quantities being codified by the DLA. That means that if HIP is deemed an essential step and put in the system, it will be easy for people to add HIP-ing to part requests, and it will be easy to get this reimbursed. If it’s not defined, then it will be hard.
The award itself is therefore not going to be huge, with other monies going to desktop, cold spray, and other vendors. But this will really determine millions, or hundreds of millions, in follow-up business. So what gets entered into the system, literally, and what this organization understands will have lasting impacts. This is also a real achievement in the total of additive qualification, certification, and testing that’s been going on for years. This contract implies confidence and utility, which is a big achievement stemming from the efforts of many people.
Senior Contracting Officer Deborah Lombardi said:
“The DLA will utilize Nikon AM to conduct a part(s) production pilot, using Additive Manufacturing (AM) to establish the necessary processes and AM support base for the DLA towards our mission to drive and sustain warfighter readiness.”
While Dr. Behrang Poorganji, the Vice President of Technology at Nikon AM, stated,
“Nikon AM continues to build upon and accelerate our holistic approach to deliver vital advanced manufacturing and sustainment capabilities that are crucial to the United States and allied partners at speed. We are very proud to support the DLA by enabling agile, on-demand production of critical components and strengthening supply chain resilience for mission-ready operations.”
According to a social media post by Nikon, the contract will focus on pilot production of parts, helping the DLA build out its additive manufacturing supplier base and internal capabilities. The goal is to support more agile, on-demand production of critical components, especially in situations where traditional supply chains fall short. This fits into a broader push to strengthen supply chain resilience and ensure mission-ready operations across defense systems.
So this is a win for Nikon AM Synergy and the industry more broadly. Sometimes it may seem like we’re moving slowly. And it can often seem like we’re standing still. But this is a concrete milestone and actual progress. As JAMA continues, we will see more vendors and technologies being onboarded. In the years to come, this could end up being significant business in critical parts for many in the space.
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