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Innovative, new-to-the-world manufacturing methods and machines leading to mass customization. The applications may include (but are not limited to) clothing, footwear, furniture, ear buds, dental restorations, and person-specific medical devices such as headbands, hearing aids etc. The resultant products may need to be cost competitive with the relevant mass manufactured products. Proposals may a ...

Innovations in processes or machines that permit manufacturing through a layering process, including 3D printing, to achieve fabrication of a range of products including near net shape products. Proposals by young companies to develop sustainable businesses based on 3D printing are especially encouraged. Proposals are also encouraged that permit the manufacturing of complex multi-scale and/or mult ...

Transformative technological innovations that enable the manufacturing of ultra-low-cost products designed to tap into the vast commercial potential of global underserved markets. The proposals must aim to produce products that are affordable and that have significant societal impact in the intended markets such as enhancing accessibility, reducing environmental impact, improving health etc.

Proposals may cover technologies that take a system approach to green engineering for industrial, residential, and commercial infrastructure, industrial manufacturing infrastructure design innovations; technologies that present new process and system design paradigms enhancing environmental sustainability with reductions in carbon footprint and ways of enhancing the sourcing, use, and recycle of m ...

Innovative technologies for the processing of a variety of materials, including metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, and novel composites using processes such as casting, forming, machining, and joining. Proposals that lead to significantly improved efficiency (in terms of materials, energy, time, or money) and sustainability are encouraged. The topic also includes on-line detection and/or control ...

Proposed projects might include (but are not limited to) the reduction of engine emissions; the reduction of greenhouse gases resulting from combustion; vehicle weight reduction; vehicle components; improved engine and fuel efficiency; reduction of SOx, NOx, and particulates resulting from combustion; reduction in wear and environmental pollutants. Projects may include technologies of commercial i ...

New process technologies for the production of novel materials include (but not limited to) high-performance bio-materials, inorganic and composite materials, alloys, novel materials with optimized design at an atomic scale, nano- and micro-scale metallic materials, and nano-materials and metallurgical products of commercial relevance.

Innovative machines and equipment in a range of operations for making nano-, micro-, and macro-scale products in all industries, including manufacturing, construction, and recycling. Innovative equipment modification or retrofitting to enable manufacturing of completely new products is encouraged.

Innovations in the modeling and simulation ofenterprise operations, manufacturing processes for intermediate or finished products, machines and equipment, including predictive modeling of tooling and machine performance and discrete event simulation of manufacturing systems. Innovative approaches that bring the benefits of cloud computing and/or big data analytics to the manufacturing sector are e ...

Subtopic includes (but is not limited to) photovoltaic materials and devices, systems for smart glass applications, breakthrough thermophotovoltaics, metamaterials, and materials and systems for solar thermal applications.