# The Manufacturing Comeback: Dean Bartles on Defense, AI, and the Next Industrial Revolution

- Show: [Additive Snack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack)
- Published: 2026-06-02
- Length: 57m
- Episode: 34
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d81c902d

## Summary

Dean Bartles, President and CEO of the Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group (behind NCDMM and America Makes), discusses the evolution of the US defense industrial base, highlighting consolidation, workforce shortages, and the rise of 'neoprime' companies like Andro and Ursa Major. He explains how AI is transforming additive manufacturing, specifically laser powder bed fusion and low-cost desktop FFF for drones, by enabling adaptive control and process monitoring to solve repeatability issues. Bartles emphasizes the need for open data sharing, improved training via community colleges and Tooling U, and sustainability efforts through the Additive Manufacturing Green Trade Association to make manufacturing more efficient and profitable.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re#t=7) Introduction: Dean Bartles and Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group
- [2:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re#t=174) Bartles' Career: From Shop Floor to General Dynamics and NCDMM
- [10:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re#t=644) Defense Industrial Base Decline, Consolidation, and Industry 4.0
- [18:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re#t=1094) Reshoring Momentum, Tariffs, and Global Manufacturing Models
- [22:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re#t=1335) AI in Additive Manufacturing: Process Monitoring and Adaptive Control
- [35:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re#t=2104) The Open Data and Repeatability Challenge in AM
- [38:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re#t=2285) Defense Adoption, Drone Boom, and Neoprimes
- [44:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re#t=2648) Workforce Pathways: Community Colleges, SME, and Tooling U
- [45:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/additive-snack/2026-06-02-the-manufacturing-comeback-dean-bartles-on-defense-ai-and-the-next-industrial-re#t=2708) Sustainability and the Additive Manufacturing Green Trade Association

## Topics

- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)
- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- NCDMM (company)
- America Makes (company)
- General Dynamics (company)
- Fairchild Republic (company)
- A10 airplane (product)
- Ursa Major (company)
- Andro (company)
- Hadrian (company)
- Dindri (company)
- Boston Microfabrication (company)
- Stryker (company)
- Lockheed Martin (company)
- Boeing (company)
- RTX (company)
- SME (company)
- Tooling U (company)
- Additive Manufacturing Green Trade Association (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [BONUS: IMTS 2024 Preview with MakingChips, Peter Eelman, and More](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-08-30-bonus-imts-2024-preview-with-makingchips-peter-eelman-and-more) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Star Trek Replicators? How Additive Manufacturing is Changing the Industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2021-09-14-star-trek-replicators-how-additive-manufacturing-is-changing-the-industry) (Over the Air)
- [Additive Manufacturing on the Shop Floor: Hype, Reality, and Where It Actually Works, Ep #37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-03-27-additive-manufacturing-on-the-shop-floor-hype-reality-and-where-it-actually-work) (Lights Out)
- [Post print: The dirty little secret of additive manufacturing](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-11-29-post-print-the-dirty-little-secret-of-additive-manufacturing) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [The Arrival of High-Volume Metal Additive Manufacturing w/ James DeMuth](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-04-07-the-arrival-of-high-volume-metal-additive-manufacturing-w-james-demuth) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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