R3 Printing is pleased to announce that we have been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I grant by the United States Air Force to be used for the continued development of our 3D Printer, the R3 Printer.
R3 Printing is a New York-based industrial automation startup developing hardware that addresses the key pain points faced by on-demand manufacturers (ODMs).
R3 Printing is bringing to market the R3 Printer, a 3D printer that specifically resolves enterprise-user problems.
Additionally, the R3 Printer may be used to develop the next generation of operations-focused 3D printers used by the Air Force.
In Phase I, R3 Printing is undertaking several initiatives. We are engaging with military end-users to gain a deep understanding of their present pain points, connecting with United States Air Force and other Department of Defense stakeholders to pursue prospective partnership opportunities, and are drafting work plans for bespoke product development in Phase II.
The SBIR grant topic for which R3 Printing has been awarded a grant is 19.1–005, ‘Open Call for Innovative Defense-Related Dual-Purpose Technologies/Solutions with a Clear Air Force Stakeholder Need’. An AF Special Topic solicitation in partnership with AFWERX, the purpose of this grant is to provide resources for “innovative technology domains that have demonstrated clear commercial value in the non-defense sector (i.e., through existing products/solutions) in order to see if they have similar Air Force applications (i.e. Dual-Purpose Technologies/Solutions).”
Regarding this solicitation, the Air Force has stated that, “AFRL and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research process in an attempt to speed up the experience, broaden the pool of potential applicants and decrease bureaucratic overhead. Beginning in SBIR 18.2, the Air Force has begun offering ‘Special’ SBIR topics that are faster, leaner and open to a broader range of solutions.”
R3 Printing is honored to partner with the Air Force in accelerating the United States military’s exposure to cutting edge innovation. We look forward to working with the Air Force and the Department of Defense in addressing some of their biggest contemporary challenges.
