About the Course
The U.S. Navy is rapidly expanding its use of additively manufactured components, creating a major opportunity for qualified suppliers capable of meeting NAVSEA’s rigorous requirements. This practical, two-day course gives you the tools, frameworks, and insider knowledge to enter the Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base as an approved AM supplier.
Whether you are an AM service provider, defense contractor, materials specialist, equipment OEM, or a manufacturer exploring metal AM expansion, this course will guide you through the real qualification pathways used across defense procurement.
Delivered by ASTM’s AM CoE experts and a partner instructor from Austal, this course blends instruction, discussion, and scenario-based problem solving. You’ll leave with actionable strategies for qualifying Directed Energy Deposition (DED) and Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) processes to Navy standards, understanding NAVSEA Technical Publication specifications, and preparing your organization to pass Maritime Industrial Base audits.
Unlike traditional lecture-only courses, this training is built around interactive exercises, case studies, and practical application—designed to give you confidence navigating AM qualification within a defense supply chain.
Course Objectives
Participants will learn how to:
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- Understand the Navy supplier activation process, from first contact to the official approval letter.
- Interpret NAVSEA requirements and flow-downs within Technical Publication Specifications.
- Apply Essential Elements (key process variables) for DED and PBF qualification.
- Integrate Navy-specific needs into Quality Management Systems (QMS).
- Prepare documentation and evidence for Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) on-site audits.
- Develop qualification strategies tailored to defense-relevant DED and PBF materials.
- Reduce risk by aligning internal workflows with Navy qualification expectations.
- Identify opportunities created by emerging Navy demand for AM components and spare parts.
Who Should Attend
This course is designed for AM professionals preparing to support Navy, defense, or industrial qualification needs, including:
- AM engineers and technicians working with metal processes
- Quality and regulatory professionals
- Manufacturers entering the defense supply chain
- Engineering managers overseeing AM capability expansion
- Service bureaus offering DED/PBF parts
- Startups entering defense AM markets
- OEM engineers supporting process qualification
Participants should have intermediate to advanced experience in metal AM or qualification pathways.
Course Topics
| Navy Supplier Activation & Qualification Fundamentals: |
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| ⇒ Overview of the Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base and AM demand |
| ⇒ Understanding the Navy part-level system and consequences of failure |
| ⇒ How NAVSEA Technical Publication Specifications flow down requirements |
| ⇒ What manufacturers need to know before pursuing Navy approval |
| DED & PBF Qualification Pathways – Practical Application: |
| ⇒ Essential Elements (key process variables) for Navy-relevant DED and PBF |
| ⇒ Monitoring, calibration, and documentation expectations |
| ⇒ Case study: qualifying a DED/PBF component for a defense program |
| ⇒ Strategies for preparing evidence packages for review |
| ⇒ Integrating qualification workflows into existing AM operations |
| ⇒ Lessons learned from qualification failures and recoveries |
| Quality Management & Audit Preparation: |
| ⇒ How to integrate Navy requirements into your Quality Management System |
| ⇒ Documentation pathways for demonstrating compliance |
| ⇒ What auditors expect during Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) visits |
| ⇒ How to maintain compliance after approval |
| ⇒ Reducing organizational risk through documentation control |
| Navy-Driven Supply Chain Readiness: |
| ⇒ Why the Navy is expanding AM procurement—and what it means for suppliers |
| ⇒ How AM qualification supports readiness, reliability, and sustainability |
| ⇒ Understanding cost, schedule, and risk impacts in defense AM workflows |
| ⇒ Where suppliers fit in the broader defense manufacturing ecosystem |
| Future Outlook & Panel Discussion – Ask the Experts: |
| ⇒ Key trends in defense AM qualification and standardization |
| ⇒ Expected Navy AM materials, processes, and roadmap developments |
| ⇒ How evolving digital technologies (in-situ monitoring, data vaults, AI) will shape qualification |
| ⇒ Live Q&A with instructors on real-world challenges in defense AM |
Course Instructors
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Austal
Griffin Keller
Registration Rates
| Early Bird Rate (Deadline TBD) | USD 799.00 |
| Regular Rate | USD 949.00 |
Note: This course is not included as part of the AMUG 2026 registration. Secure your spot today!
