U.S. DOE to Showcase Full-Scale Automated Manufacturing Cell at IMTS

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 10, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) will showcase a full-scale automated manufacturing cell at IMTS 2026. The manufacturing cell integrates automation, additive manufacturing, and subtractive machining equipment to produce quadcopter drone airframes on-site, and the completed drones will undergo flight verification in a closed secure area of the exhibition space.

This manufacturing cell was developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory's MDF. The core process is not a demonstration of a single 3D printing device, but rather the integration of additive manufacturing, subtractive machining, and automated production processes into a continuous manufacturing cell. The quadcopter drone airframe will be directly used as the manufacturing object on-site, using actual production and flight testing to validate this integrated manufacturing approach.

Another achievement showcased at the same time is the Aires Tide test vehicle, which is approximately 11 feet tall. The project is led by Sandia National Laboratories, with participation from the CAMINO Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Kansas City National Security Campus. Aires Tide is one of the physical projects already established under the U.S. Department of Energy's Genesis Mission, and its related research and development processes use artificial intelligence, advanced computing, and additive manufacturing technologies.

DOE's Genesis Mission focuses on the application of artificial intelligence and advanced computing in scientific research and national security. This IMTS showcase further connects its digital design, computing, and advanced manufacturing aspects to physical production, completing drone airframe manufacturing through a full-scale manufacturing cell while also showcasing the Aires Tide vehicle development achievements.

The showcase location is the AMT Emerging Technology Center. Relevant leaders from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Defense will demonstrate drone production and flight, as well as the Aires Tide test vehicle, on-site. The entire showcase focuses on how automated manufacturing cells can combine additive manufacturing, subtractive machining, and automated equipment for rapid manufacturing of defense-related products.