Voltic Forms will enable faster, more efficient manufacturing of high-performance components

Columbus, OH – EWI, a leading advanced manufacturing and engineering solutions company, and Powders on Demand, a pioneer in advanced powder-based materials, announced the formation of Voltic Forms, a new joint venture focused on commercializing resistance-based sintering (RBS).

While the concept of using resistance heating for sintering has been around for decades, recent developments by EWI have advanced RBS into a manufacturing technology capable of consolidating metal and composite powders up to 300 times faster while using up to 97% less energy than conventional processes. Voltic Forms will focus on advancing and deploying this technology to enable manufacturers to produce high-performance metal and composite components with unprecedented speed, efficiency, and material flexibility.

“Resistance-based sintering reflects the kind of innovative manufacturing technologies EWI is committed to advancing,” said Blake McAllister, vice president of strategic technologies at EWI. “Through Voltic Forms, we can help companies produce high-performance components faster and more efficiently, giving them the tools to stay competitive in an increasingly advanced materials-driven market.”

Resistance-based sintering offers a fundamentally new approach to manufacturing that can dramatically improve speed, efficiency, and material performance. Unlike traditional methods that rely on long furnace cycles and bulk heating, RBS can consolidate powders in milliseconds rather than hours, producing components with full density comparable to or exceeding forged structures. The process eliminates the need for vacuum chambers, inert gases, and furnaces, while enabling near-net-shape production of advanced materials such as titanium, superalloys, steels, refractory metals, metal matrix composites, and novel functional composites.

By combining EWI’s expertise in advanced manufacturing process development with Powders on Demand’s leadership in material to process commercialization, Voltic Forms is positioned to industrialize production of high-performance components that were previously unattainable at scale. This new approach opens the door for manufacturers to adopt a faster, more energy-efficient, and more flexible production process, helping them meet growing demand for advanced materials and components.

“A titanium part today can pass through three or four suppliers before it’s finished — melting, forging, machining — each with its own lead time and cost structure. Resistance-based sintering collapses all of that into a single second from powder feedstock. Voltic Forms exists to make that capability accessible at scale.” said Powders on Demand Co-founder and CEO Brad Richards. “Defense and commercial customers require shorter supply chains and faster delivery — that’s exactly what we’re bringing them.”

Media Contact

Alison Landefeld: alandefeld@ewi.org

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About EWI
EWI empowers industry leaders to overcome complex manufacturing challenges and integrate new processes to bring products to market more quickly and efficiently. Since 1984, EWI’s comprehensive engineering services have helped companies identify, develop, and implement the best options for their specific applications. Backed by unmatched professional expertise, state-of-the-art lab facilities, and technology resources, EWI offers customized solutions that deliver game-changing results. Learn more at ewi.org.

About Powders on Demand
Powders on Demand (POD), a spinoff company of Solvus Global, specializes in the R&D to commercialization transition of materials and process development for high-quality and application-specific feedstocks and processes, including advanced aluminum, titanium, superalloy, cermet, and refractory metal systems. The business operates out of three facilities with strong collaboration with end customers and partners in central Massachusetts. Learn more at powdersondemand.com.

About Voltic Forms
Voltic Forms is a joint venture formed by EWI and Powders on Demand to commercialize resistance-based sintering technology and accelerate the adoption of next-generation powder consolidation methods for advanced manufacturing, addressing critical capability and availability gaps in the supply chain.

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Key topics explored in this paper include:

• Why traditional qualification approaches are insufficient for AM components
• How AM microstructures affect corrosion initiation and damage progression
• Implications for sour service and other aggressive operating environments
• Considerations for developing corrosion-informed AM qualification strategies

To access the full paper for FREE, complete the form on this page.

To learn more, contact Jerry Kovacich, Applications Engineer, at jkovacich@ewi.org.

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EWI Announces New Chief Executive Officer

Industry leader Stephen Kelly hired to succeed longtime CEO who is retiring

Columbus, OH/Buffalo, NY – EWI, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, announced the appointment of Stephen “Steve” Kelly as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, following a comprehensive national search led by the organization’s Board of Directors. Kelly is an innovative executive with decades of experience leading organizations in highly competitive and rapidly evolving markets. His background spans early-stage ventures, mid-scale growth organizations, and large, complex institutions.

“Steve emerged as a clear choice because of his ability to connect strategy, innovation, and execution in highly complex environments,” said Greg Moore, Chair of EWI’s Board of Directors. “He understands how to help organizations deliver real-world impact, and he brings the federal and industrial experience, particularly within the defense industrial base and nuclear energy infrastructure, that will be critical as EWI continues to grow. The Board is confident he is the right leader for this moment.”

Most recently, Kelly served as CEO of the Indiana Innovation Institute, where he built a start-up applied research organization from the ground up. Under his leadership, the institute established strong partnerships across industry, academia, and government; secured programs with the DoD Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, DARPA, and the U.S. Navy; and grew revenue from zero to more than $20 million in three years. Through his consulting work, Kelly has supported early-stage defense and advanced technology ventures, commercial firms entering federal markets, and national laboratories and federally funded research and development centers on strategy and performance improvement.

“I’m excited to join EWI at a time when its mission is more important than ever,” said Steve Kelly, President and CEO of EWI. “EWI has a unique ability to translate advanced technology into practical solutions that strengthen U.S. industry and national competitiveness. I’m looking forward to working with the talented EWI team, our clients, partners, and the Board to build on that foundation and expand the organization’s impact.”

Longtime EWI President and CEO Henry Cialone announced his retirement in June 2025 and is staying at EWI until the end of February to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Media Contacts

Heidi Wilson, hwilson@ewi.org, and Carolyn Human, carolyn@carolynhuman.com

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About EWI

EWI empowers industry leaders to overcome complex manufacturing challenges and integrate new processes to bring products to market more quickly and efficiently. Since 1984, EWI’s comprehensive engineering services have helped companies identify, develop, and implement the best options for their specific applications. Our customers include but are not limited to aerospace and defense, automotive, aviation, energy, consumer electronics, medical devices, industrial products, and heavy equipment. Backed by unmatched professional expertise, state-of-the-art lab facilities, and technology resources, we offer customized solutions that deliver game-changing results. Learn more at ewi.org.

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Throughout the year, our teams worked closely with partners across energy, aerospace, automotive, and other high-performance sectors to advance manufacturing capabilities, expand technical resources, and deliver practical solutions that make an impact on the shop floor.

Some of the themes that defined 2025 include:

• Advancing additive manufacturing capabilities to support complex geometries, demanding materials, and faster production environments
• Expanding expertise in materials, joining, testing, and validation to meet the needs of evolving industrial applications
• Delivering innovative tools and programs that help manufacturers improve efficiency, reliability, and decision-making
• Sharing knowledge more broadly than ever, through refereed technical publications, conference presentations, podcasts, webinars, and hands-on training

Together, these efforts reflect a year focused not just on innovation, but on translating that innovation into real-world value for our industry partners.

As we move into 2026, EWI remains committed to helping manufacturers adapt, innovate, and succeed through applied research, technical expertise, and collaborative problem-solving. If you’re exploring a new product, process improvement, or technology challenge, we invite you to connect with our team.

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EWI Strengthens Additive Manufacturing Consortium with Strategic Partnership

Collaboration with The Barnes Global Advisors enhances support for consortium members

Columbus, OH — October 2, 2025 — EWI, a leading advanced manufacturing and engineering solutions company, announced today a strategic partnership with The Barnes Global Advisors (TBGA) to enhance the resources and expertise available to members of its Additive Manufacturing Consortium (AMC).

Established by EWI in 2010, the AMC was created to accelerate and advance additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. The consortium brings together AM end users, suppliers, researchers, and other stakeholders from across the nation to collaborate on pre-competitive research, explore new materials and processes, and share knowledge to drive AM adoption across industries.

“This partnership allows us to provide our consortium members with expanded technical support for their projects while ensuring the work is still directed by members,” said Blake McAllister, vice president of strategic technologies at EWI. “We remain committed to fostering collaboration and innovation in additive manufacturing, and TBGA brings specialized expertise that will enhance the value we deliver to our members.”

TBGA has significant experience in driving qualification efforts for the additive manufacturing industry. Their highly technical team draws from over 500+ years of advanced manufacturing expertise, using data driven insights to further AM technology development. TBGA has established a strong network of partnerships and collaborations that can support the AMC, enhancing the ability to provide technical guidance and project execution, thereby helping members accelerate innovation while complementing EWI’s existing capabilities.

“The value of consortiums like AMC is the high ROI that comes from pooling funding for pre-competitive development. It benefits the entire group, and everyone in the consortium wins with good outcomes, said TBGA Founder and President John Barnes. “Our goal is to help shape projects to have a maximum commercial outcome for the members.”

The AMC holds four meetings per year, where members discuss projects, share insights, and collaborate on industry challenges. The partnership with TBGA will enhance the technical resources available during these sessions and throughout the annual project cycle.

The consortium is actively inviting new members to join and benefit from enhanced project offerings, networking opportunities, and access to the latest additive manufacturing innovations.

Media Contact

Howie Marotto, AMC Director, and Susan Witt, EWI’s AM Engineering Group Leader, amc@ewi.org

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About EWI

Since 1984, EWI has been a leader in advanced manufacturing and engineering solutions for a variety of industries, including aerospace, automotive, consumer products, electronics, medical, energy, government, and heavy manufacturing. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, with a technology and training center at Buffalo Manufacturing Works in western New York, EWI helps companies develop and implement innovative technologies tailored to their needs. EWI also leads industry consortia to advance specific technologies and strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. One of its longest-running efforts, the Additive Manufacturing Consortium (AMC), was founded in 2010 to accelerate the readiness and adoption of AM technologies through collaborative research, technical exchange, and fostering partnerships across academia, government, and industry. Visit ewi.org or call 614.484.7600 for more information.

About The Barnes Global Advisors

The Barnes Global Advisors (TBGA) is a leading engineering consultancy specializing in additive and advanced manufacturing. With a team of experts and a deep commitment to advancing the industrialization of additive manufacturing, TBGA provides comprehensive consulting, training, and communication services to organizations worldwide. Through their innovative solutions, TBGA helps clients harness the full potential of advanced technologies to achieve mission and business success.

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When manufacturers come to EWI with a complex quality assurance (QA) or quality control (QC) challenge, they’re often expecting a high-tech, highly complex fix. But as an EWI Senior Engineer with process automation experience, J. Logan McNeil likes to remind customers that innovation doesn’t always mean “more complicated.” Sometimes, the best path forward is to keep it simple.

“I’m a big proponent of the KISS method — keep it simple, stupid,” Logan explained in a recent episode of the EWI Technology Podcast. “In most cases, especially in automation, complexity comes with cost. If 90% of defects can be caught with one type of sensor, you don’t need three.”

That mindset — focusing on the essentials, eliminating unnecessary complexity, and working side-by-side with customers to tailor the right solution — is what sets EWI apart as a partner in advanced manufacturing innovation.

The Simplicity Principle in Advanced QA/QC

Manufacturers often wrestle with variables that, while seemingly minor, can have outsized impacts on quality.

Logan gives a practical example: “You try to run the same voltage and current on one machine with leads twice as long as another, and then you wonder why your process is different. A lot of times, the answer is simple.”

Rather than over-engineering solutions, Logan emphasizes an 80/20 approach: identify the small number of factors that drive most outcomes. By focusing on critical inputs, such as weld quality, power supply setup consistency, and standardized sensor calibration, manufacturers can achieve meaningful improvements without overwhelming costs or complexity.

It’s a pragmatic view of QA/QC processes where the temptation can be to add layers of sensors, monitoring systems, and data streams. While advanced analytics and machine learning have their place, EWI’s philosophy is to apply them strategically, not indiscriminately.

Customers Hold the Key

A crucial part of EWI’s approach is recognizing that customers know their products better than anyone else.

“The customer knows their end product better than I ever will,” Logan says. “And we want it to be that way. When customers come to us, they’re looking for outside knowledge, things they don’t already know. That’s where collaboration becomes so powerful.”

By working directly with engineers, operators, and decision-makers on the customer side, EWI can translate in-house knowledge into measurable data. What an experienced welder might describe intuitively (“you’ll just know if the weld is good”) can be transformed into bits, bytes, zeros, and ones — the language of sensors and automation.

This kind of partnership brings deep expertise to build on the customer’s expertise. The result is a system that feels natural to operate, reflects the realities of production, and produces reliable results.

Collaboration as the Engine of Innovation

EWI brings a wide bench of subject matter experts (SMEs) in welding, materials, automation, sensing, and data science. But Logan finds that the most effective innovations emerge from what he calls “cross-pollination” — EWI’s experience across a range of industries, combined with the customer’s product knowledge.

“I learn a lot about your product, I learn a lot about your systems,” Logan explains. “But I’ve also seen similar problems solved in other industries. So, the question becomes: how can that solution fit into your process?”

This collaborative model yields solutions that are both innovative and practical: innovative, because EWI can draw on lessons learned across aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical device sectors; and practical, because solutions are designed to fit seamlessly into the customer’s unique manufacturing environment.

It’s in this middle ground, where shared learning meets practical application, that the most exciting advancements in QA/QC occur.

Standards, Requirements, and the “Right Fit”

Another part of the equation is aligning with standards and requirements. Not every application demands 100% inspection or the most rigorous controls. Sometimes, the standard itself defines what’s required and what’s “good enough.”

“Are you required to do it, or does it actually matter for you?” Logan asks. This question shifts the focus from technology for its own sake to technology that truly serves the customer’s objectives.

By right-sizing QA/QC systems to fit both regulatory demands and business priorities, EWI helps manufacturers to avoid over-investing in complexity that doesn’t add value.

Building the Future of QA/QC Together

Advanced manufacturing is evolving rapidly, with automation, AI, and machine learning providing new approaches to monitoring quality. Yet, as Logan’s perspective highlights, the real breakthrough happens when EWI and its customers innovate together.

The key takeaways for process engineers and QA/QC teams are:

• Keep it simple. Focus on the core factors that matter most.
• Listen to the customer. Their expertise is the foundation of every solution.
• Collaborate deeply. Combine customer knowledge with EWI’s cross-industry insight.
• Right-size solutions. Let standards and business needs define the appropriate level of complexity.

At EWI, innovation in QA/QC is about solving real-world problems in the most effective, efficient way possible — not chasing complexity for its own sake. And that’s only achievable when customers and EWI engineers work side by side, learning from each other and designing solutions together.

As Logan puts it: “That’s generally where the best innovation happens.”

The solution to a QA/QC challenge in your manufacturing operations may not be as complicated or as costly as you think. With EWI as your partner, you can strip away complexity, leverage cross-industry expertise, and co-create solutions that make sense for your products, your processes, and your people.

If you’re a decision-maker looking to improve quality, reduce costs, and accelerate innovation, reach out to EWI at info@ewi.org, and let’s start building the right solution for your business.

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The rapid pace of product innovation, evolving manufacturing methods, and skilled labor shortages are putting increasing pressure on traditional Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) approaches. At EWI, advanced QA/QC has been an ongoing focus, leveraging our expertise in manufacturing processes, sensor integration, and data science to develop real-time, automated solutions that can:

• Enable 100% inspection 

• Provide instant, actionable feedback to the operator 

• Automatically react to and solve defects or process deviations  

To enable 100% inspection, EWI combines real-time sensing, machine learning, and production-representative datasets to generate real-time quality predictions for individual components. These predictions allow manufacturers to reduce destructive testing, minimize scrap associated with batch-based inspection, and reduce work-in-progress. In addition, these predictions can support predictive maintenance efforts and provide valuable insights for warranty claims. 

To deliver instant, operator-actionable feedback, EWI develops datasets that include real production failure modes, enabling predictive systems to not only flag defects, but also to identify their likely causes. This provides operators with the information they need to prevent issues before they occur, shorten troubleshooting time, and improve overall process reliability. These tools are particularly valuable for less experienced operators who benefit from the built-in diagnostic guidance. 

EWI is applying quality predictions within automated control loops to dynamically adjust process parameters and prevent defects before they occur. One current effort uses predicted weld dilution to modify welding travel speeds in real time, avoiding lack-of-fusion issues and demonstrating how predictive QA can drive closed-loop, self-correcting manufacturing. 

Delivering these solutions requires cross-disciplinary expertise in sensing, nondestructive evaluation, automation, process physics, and data science — capabilities that EWI brings together to support advanced QA/QC innovation.

See How EWI is Shaping the Future of QA/QC

Technical Papers

Our technical papers highlight the methods, results, and innovations driving predictive quality systems at EWI:

• A Streamlined System to Capture High-speed Video and Process Data for Manufacturing Applications 
• The Effects of Subsystem Performance on Static and Dynamic Properties of Inconel 718 Built with Laser Powder Bed Fusion*
• Investigation of monitoring methods for ultrasonic metal welding*

*These papers are published by a third-party. EWI Cooperative Research Program participants can request copies through EWI Library Services.

EWI Expert Analysis

Gain deeper insight into QA/QC trends and technologies through articles and commentary from EWI experts:

• The Future of QA/QC: Turning Manufacturing Quality into a Competitive Edge
• Simple Solutions Can Mean Smarter QA/QC

EWI Technology Podcast: The Future of QA/QC in Manufacturing

In a recent episode of the EWI Technology Podcast, a panel of EWI experts — Alex Kitt, Logan McNeil, and Connie Lamorte — discuss how automation, real-time data, and AI are reshaping QA/QC in manufacturing. The conversation covers when to invest in a QA/QC program, how automation improves product quality, and what’s next for advanced sensing and machine learning. Watch the episode below, or listen wherever you get your podcasts, to hear how EWI is driving smarter QA/QC.

Contact Us

If you would like to learn more about EWI’s advanced QA/QC capabilities, please contact Alex Kitt at akitt@ewi.org.  

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Speed, smarter sensors, and the human-in-the-loop advantage

As reshoring, reinvestment, and rapid innovation reshape North American manufacturing, one area is emerging as a cornerstone of competitiveness: quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). Manufacturers are facing unprecedented pressure to get products to market faster, operate efficiently, and ensure uncompromising quality — all while bridging workforce and skills gaps. In this environment, speed to market, cost efficiency, and reliability can determine whether a manufacturer wins or loses business, which means QA/QC is becoming the foundation for maintaining customer trust and protecting market share.

So, what will QA/QC look like five years from now? On a recent episode of the EWI Technology Podcast, three of EWI’s experts — Logan McNeil (Automation & Controls Engineer), Connie LaMorte (Inspection & Sensor Technology Specialist), and Alex Kitt (Data Science & Advanced QA/QC Specialist) — shared their insights on what will truly change the game for manufacturers.

Speed at quality

For McNeil, the future lies at the intersection of speed and quality.

“Traditionally, you could optimize for speed or for quality,” he explains. “But now, we’re seeing the convergence of technologies that allow us to achieve both.”

Thanks to advances in data management, neural networks/machine learning, and high-speed processing, QA/QC systems are evolving beyond simply flagging defects after the fact. They are moving toward real-time predictive control. As McNeil explains, bringing together multiple modalities of input — such as images from external sensors and process data acquisition — enables real-time control of manufacturing processes. Manufacturers will not only Be able to detect when a problem is occurring but also predict and take immediate corrective action.

In practice, this means production lines will increasingly run faster without sacrificing quality. And many of these actions will be automated. “People are going to look up in five years and realize that entire segments of QA/QC are now automated,” McNeil says. “Not because it was a nice-to-have, but because it’s what we had to do to keep pace.”

Smarter, multifunctional sensors

If automation and speed are one side of the future QA/QC equation, smarter sensors are the other.

LaMorte predicts a major leap in how inspection and sensor technologies are deployed on the manufacturing floor. Today, adding sensors can be complex, requiring significant setup and calibration. Tomorrow, she envisions automatic deployment: simple, user-friendly tools that allow for quick installation, reconfiguration, and scaling across multiple processes.

“Imagine a single cube-shaped sensor that doesn’t just measure one thing, but three or four,” she explains. “It could capture optical data, process signals, even imaging — all in one compact package. And you’d be able to turn on the function you need in real time.”

This flexibility means manufacturers could easily move QA/QC capability across production lines or adapt a single sensor to multiple stages of a process. Multifunctional sensors would also cut costs, reduce complexity, and make high-level QA/QC more accessible to smaller operations.

As LaMorte notes, the shift will be about adding “more dimensions” to sensors — moving from today’s one-to-one inspection tools toward versatile, adaptive devices that deliver richer data and broader insights.

The human-in-the-loop future

But what about the people on the manufacturing floor? Kitt emphasizes that QA/QC innovation isn’t only about automation — it’s also about empowering the workforce.

Reshoring and demographic shifts mean many manufacturing roles will be filled by individuals with less direct experience. Instead of replacing workers with robots, the future of QA/QC can make human roles more dynamic and engaging.

“The exciting opportunity,” Kitt explains, “is human-in-the-loop tools that guide people in real time. Imagine finishing a weld, and your system immediately tells you, ‘Your torch angle was a little off. Adjust it on the next one.’ That immediate feedback improves quality and helps people build skills faster.”

Rather than removing humans from the loop, advanced QA/QC can make their jobs more meaningful, blending human adaptability with data-driven precision. Heads-up displays, wearable sensors, and augmented-reality interfaces could soon become everyday tools that turn quality management into an interactive, technology-augmented experience.

EWI’s role in shaping the future

At EWI, we see these trends as real directions that manufacturers need to prepare for now. Speed with quality, multifunctional sensors, and human-in-the-loop systems are all areas where innovation is already happening.

Our experts work directly with manufacturers to test and validate advanced QA/QC solutions in real-world production environments. We help companies take complex challenges and turn them into competitive advantages.

The future of QA/QC will be about convergence. Automation, sensing, data science, and workforce development are coming together to transform manufacturing quality from a reactive function into a proactive, predictive, and adaptive capability.

Ready to take the next step?

The manufacturers who thrive in the next five years will be the ones who act today. Partnering with EWI gives you access to leading-edge expertise, collaborative innovation, and practical solutions tailored to your production challenges.

If you’re ready to explore how advanced QA/QC can give your organization a competitive edge, reach out to us at info@ewi.org.

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