(a) Manufacturing research

The Director shall carry out a program to award merit-reviewed, competitive grants to institutions of higher education to support fundamental research leading to transformative advances in manufacturing technologies, processes, and enterprises that will support United States manufacturing through improved performance, productivity, sustainability, and competitiveness. Research areas may include—

(1) nanomanufacturing;

(2) manufacturing and construction machines and equipment, including robotics, automation, and other intelligent systems;

(3) manufacturing enterprise systems;

(4) advanced sensing and control techniques;

(5) materials processing;

(6) information technologies for manufacturing, including predictive and real-time models and simulations, virtual manufacturing; ¹ and artificial intelligence and machine learning; and

(7) additive manufacturing, including new material designs, complex materials, rapid printing techniques, and real-time process controls.

(b) Manufacturing education

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In order to help ensure a well-trained manufacturing workforce, the Director shall award grants to strengthen and expand scientific and technical education and training in advanced manufacturing, including through the Foundation’s Advanced Technological Education program.