What is AMTech?

The Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMTech) Program is a new NIST program, initially funded as part of NIST's fiscal year 2013 appropriations. AMTech's aim is to catalyze partnerships between U.S. industry, academia, and government that will support efforts to meet the long-term research needs of U.S. industry.

More specifically, the AMTech Program will help to establish new—or strengthen existing--industry-led technology consortia for the purpose of identifying and prioritizing research projects that reduce barriers to the growth of advanced manufacturing in the United States. The program also will help to support consortia in the implementation of these research priorities.

AMTech was conceived, designed, and reviewed extensively prior to receiving appropriations. In 2011, NIST published a Request for Information (RFI) on the proposed program, which drew 38 responses.[1] In addition, the NIST Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology, an external advisory body, issued recommendations on the design of the new program.[2] In so doing, the VCAT endorsed "the AMTech Program as a model public-private partnership for supporting technological innovation and facilitating its deployment to support advanced manufacturing."

AMTech-supported consortia will enable technology development and create the infrastructure necessary for more efficient transfer of technology. By convening key players across the entire innovation lifecycle, AMTech consortia will work toward eliminating critical barriers to innovation, increasing the efficiency of domestic innovation efforts and collapsing the time scale to deliver new products and services based on scientific and technological advances.

[1] "NIST Seeks Comments on Structure for Proposed Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech) Program." NIST Press Release, 7/22/2011

[2] Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, U.S. Department of Commerce, February 2013, "2012 Annual Report"