A Youngstown-based manufacturing institute is awarding more than $1 million to help the United States and Great Britain’s military share 3D printing technology.

America Makes and the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining announced the funding recipients for a new program designed to align supply chains between the two nations.

The project focuses on a specific type of 3D printing that uses lasers to melt metal powder into solid objects.

While the technology allows the military to create spare parts on demand, the U.S. and U.K. currently use different standards to verify if those parts are safe and effective. This creates barriers when allied forces need to share equipment or manufacturing files.

The new funding aims to create a universal set of rules so that a part printed by the British Ministry of Defense matches the quality of one printed by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Ben DiMarco, a director at America Makes, stated that the current system relies on older materials that cannot meet modern demands. He noted that this effort will help ensure consistent parts for troops in both nations.

The winning teams include major industry names such as Lockheed Martin, Eaton Corporation, and ASTM International.

America Makes is the national accelerator for additive manufacturing and is headquartered on West Boardman Street in downtown Youngstown