RUM lands $1.3M Air Force grant for additive manufacturing research
The project in Puerto Rico will develop aluminum alloys and test durability for aerospace applications.
The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus (RUM, in Spanish), has received a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Air Force, in collaboration with the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), to advance research in additive manufacturing.
The project, known as Joint Aluminum Manufacturing Maturation (JAMM), will focus on developing new aluminum alloys and testing their durability for Air Force applications.
RUM’s award is part of a $3 million allocation shared between both universities, school officials said, adding that Mayagüez’s portion includes $200,000 for new equipment purchases.
“This represents a significant milestone for our university and promises to drive innovation and leadership in this key area,” said Ricky Valentín-Rullán, co-investigator and professor in RUM’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. “We’re thrilled with the trust placed in us by the Air Force and America Makes.”
The research will leverage Puerto Rico’s high humidity and salinity as environmental stress factors to evaluate material resistance.
“Puerto Rico provides a unique environment to study how these highly additive materials react under prolonged exposure to corrosion,” said Jason Thomas, project engineer at the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM).
The initiative will give RUM students hands-on experience in additive manufacturing, working with metal 3D printers used in aerospace and defense industries.
“Students will first gain experience working with a metal printer, ensuring parts can withstand mechanical stresses regardless of environmental conditions,” Valentín-Rullán said.
Meanwhile, RUM Chancellor Agustín Rullán-Toro highlighted the project’s long-term impact, saying, “This grant enables sustainable research, benefiting both students and Puerto Rico’s economy while fulfilling a real-world need for the U.S. Air Force.”
