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America Makes is the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute

October 08, 2013 | Categories: America Makes News

Institute Unveils New Brand to Kick Start a Unified, U.S.-based Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Movement

Youngstown, Ohio — October 8, 2013.

The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, driven by the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM), proudly announces that it unveiled its rebrand to America Makes to kick start a unified, U.S.-based additive manufacturing and 3D printing movement today to members only at its second Program Management Review (PMR) Meeting held at the DeYor Performing Arts Center in Youngstown. Also present at the meeting to show his support of the new America Makes identity and represent the expanding 3D desktop printing industry and community was Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot.

“America Makes is a vehicle for the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute to raise our profile, reach a wider audience to include the hobbyist and the entrepreneur, and ultimately, provide a richer member experience,” stated Ralph Resnick, Founding Director of the Institute and NCDMM President and Executive, in his remarks to members. “America Makes sets the stage for us to realize our mission of reinvigorating the U.S. manufacturing industry and jobs market by serving a strong message. America Makes is our call to action. America Makes challenges the perception of manufacturing. America Makes is a far-reaching movement that goes beyond the walls of industry and into the homes of individuals. This is how we will become competitive. This is how we grow our nation’s economy and get ahead. This is how we lead. When America Makes, America Works!”

For the Institute, which recently marked its first anniversary of award in August, the timing for a rebranding was not just ideal, but necessary. Leadership had begun to feel that its identity was limited by its five-letter acronym, one that did not fully or aptly convey the intent, the depth, or mission of the organization.

Today’s announcement was the accumulation of months of research and brainstorming among the Institute and its strategic partners to evolve the Institute in representing and unifying the entire additive manufacturing and 3D printing community under America Makes. With America Makes, the Institute has a name and a concept that are so much more effective in communicating its purpose and ambition.

“With America Makes, the goal of the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute is to broaden our voice to be more indicative and inclusive of all of the innovative people in our country—whether they are hobbyists or entrepreneurs or they work in industry, academia, and government,” said Ed Morris, Director. “In creating a movement in America Makes beyond a traditional organizational structure, it further unites us as a community and ensures our collective success in both advancing and accelerating the adoption of additive manufacturing and 3D printing technologies and increasing our nation’s global economic competitiveness.”

Added Mr. Resnick, “Our mission has not changed; it has just been clarified. We look to embrace innovation from whatever its source as we collectively strive to accelerate the true realization of additive manufacturing through 3D printing. We are growing the inertia from our incredible first year of activities into a long overdue manufacturing movement because again history has proven that ‘When America Makes, America Works.’”

Joining Mr. Resnick in making the announcement of unifying the community under the America Makes movement was 3D printing visionary, Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot, the global leader in desktop 3D printing.

“It is a great honor to have Bre, the well-known igniter of the desktop 3D printing prosumer market and ‘Maker movement,’ in attendance for the announcement of America Makes,” said Mr. Resnick.

Bre Pettis has led MakerBot as CEO since the company’s beginning in 2009. MakerBot completed a merger in August 2013 with Stratasys, one of the leading players in industrial additive manufacturing in the world, and an American Makes member.

“The importance of encouraging American-made manufacturing is crucial to the economic success of our country,” noted Pettis in his talk. “We see 3D printing as a large component of that success, allowing for faster and more productive cycles of innovation and iteration. America Makes is helping U.S.-based companies and entrepreneurs with further understanding and adoption of the tools that are available to them. I’m proud to be part of this pivotal time in U.S.-based manufacturing.”

America Makes sets the stage for all working and innovating in additive manufacturing and 3D printing to realize the mission of reinvigorating our nation’s manufacturing industry and jobs market by serving a strong message. However, the rebrand is only the first step.

Along with the new look and feel is an upgraded member experience via a new, online digital estate at http://americamakes.us empowers members to collaborate and network with other members publish and share findings; and search and find answers to tough additive manufacturing questions. Today, marks phase one of the official launch. In the coming days and weeks, the digital estate will reflect phase two, which will feature more community and networking functions.