America Makes and YBI Announce Final Session of Last Tactical Mile Seminar Series and Launch of On-Demand Lunch 'n Learn Webinar Series

The final in-person seminar takes place Oct. 14 in Tallmadge, Ohio. Expert sessions from the series are now available on demand via The Last Tactical Mile [LTM] Impact 2.0 Lunch 'n Learn Webinar Series on YouTube.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio, Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- America Makes, in partnership with YBI (formerly Youngstown Business Incubator), announced the final session of the Last Tactical Mile [LTM] Seminar Series: Additive Manufacturing for Metal Casting. The session takes place Oct. 14 at The Venue Banquets in Tallmadge, Ohio. The event is free of charge and open to foundry technical staff, procurement professionals, OEM and Tier I/II casting consumers, government engineers, and engineering and technical students.

The LTM Seminar Series is a traveling, in-person seminar program covering 3D sand printing design, materials, equipment maintenance, and printer settings. The series has delivered seminars at eight or more locations across the nation. Defense Acquisition Professionals who attend earn seven Continuous Learning Points (CLPs). Lunch is provided, and attendees are invited to meet with presenters at a networking dinner following an exclusive printer OEM tour. Registration is available via Eventbrite. Register at https://AMMetalCasting9.eventbrite.com.

Government and OEM casting consumers require increased agility in the casting sector to enable operational availability of critical platforms. Additive manufacturing for metal casting offers reduced lead times, the ability to cast complex parts, and reduced scrap.

"The 'Last Tactical Mile Seminar Series for Additive Manufacturing in Metal Casting' is a traveling, in-person lecture on how to incorporate newer technologies in the metal casting and foundry setting. We have ten speakers, who are the leading experts in the field, who explain the trials and outcomes of years of research and their hands-on experience. The spirit of collaboration is heavy in each of the seminars we have completed so far. I couldn't be prouder of the team we put together to educate, help, and uplift the foundry ecosystem."

Brittany Engel, engineering project manager, YBI

"As our in-person seminar series continues to resonate with local foundries, we're seeing firsthand just how valuable face-to-face learning and networking truly are. While virtual meetings offer convenience, nothing replaces the easy conversation, collaboration, and problem-solving that happen when people gather in the same room. This spring, we expanded our offerings with full-day seminars and Lunch-n-Learn sessions, and the response has been incredible. Attendees are engaging deeply with our ten industry-leading experts and walking away with insights they can apply immediately. With only a few sessions left, now is the perfect time to take advantage of these final opportunities to learn from top experts and be part of the momentum building across the foundry community."

Annette Stevenson, LTM marketing and communications coordinator

"Additive manufacturing is changing how foundries produce castings. This series discusses how foundries can take advantage of shorter delivery times, meet higher dimensional tolerance demands and reduce cleaning times with reduced parting lines. The information provided in these seminars is audience driven and not available anywhere at any price. Over 100 years of additive manufacturing for metal casting experience with specific expertise in 3D sand printing design, materials, equipment maintenance and printer settings that maximize your investment. Lunch is provided and attendees are invited to meet with presenters at a networking dinner after an exclusive printer OEM tour."

Jerry Thiel, Precision Casting Technologies, LLC

The Last Tactical Mile [LTM] Impact 2.0 Lunch 'n Learn Webinar Series

The Last Tactical Mile [LTM] Impact 2.0 Lunch 'n Learn Webinar Series features recorded one-hour sessions presented from April through July 2026, delivering expert insight metal casting and additive manufacturing professionals need to stay ahead. Built for foundries, OEMs, and supply-chain partners, the series offers focused, high-value content on the technologies reshaping modern production -- from hybrid tooling and large-format sand printing to advanced mold design, materials innovation, and evolving OEM expectations.

As the digital companion to the in-person seminars delivered nationwide in partnership with America Makes, the Lunch 'n Learn Webinar Series distills deep technical knowledge into accessible, on-demand sessions that strengthen capability, accelerate production, and support strategic additive manufacturing integration. Sessions are presented by a mix of experts from the 10-speaker series.

Session highlights include:

• The OEM Perspective: Understand why OEMs want you to apply this technology
• Mold Design Applications: Best practices regarding integration of AM for mold design
• Material extrusion printers and their application to hybrid tooling
• Materials and Consumables: What is being utilized today and what the future holds
• Large Format Printers: Operations and Best Practices
• Future Technologies: Discussion on what new AM may be coming and its impacts
• Strategies for Change, Innovation & Resilience: Advancing Metal Casting with Additive Manufacturing

The series is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXSHstyUKf1s

Featured Experts

Dr. Nathaniel Bryant, associate director, Metal Casting Center & Foundry 4.0 Center, University of Northern Iowa

Dr. Dustin Gilmer, assistant professor, Material Science and Engineering, University of Tennessee & UT Space Institute

Kelley Kerns, director of new business development, HA International, LLC

Brandon Lamoncha, director of additive manufacturing, Humtown Additive

Rich Lonardo, principal, Defense & Energy Systems

Marshall Miller, president, Tesserract4D

Dave Rittmeyer, director of business development, Matthews Additive Technologies

Dr. Kirk Rogers, principal consultant, M&P Gravity Works

Jerry Thiel, retired director, UNI Metal Casting and Foundry 4.0 Centers, University of Northern Iowa

Dr. Jason Walker, director of materials and processes, Ohio State University CDME

Final Session

S9 -- Oct. 14, 2026  |  The Venue Banquets  |  Tallmadge, Ohio

Registration is available via Eventbrite. Register at https://AMMetalCasting9.eventbrite.com. For the location-specific agenda and more information, visit https://ybi.org/the-last-tactical-mile-additive-manufacturing-for-metal-casting/

Partners

Lead Partner: America Makes

Supporting Partners:

Matthews Additive Technologies

M&P Gravity Works

Tesserract4D

Defense & Energy Systems LLC

University of Tennessee

The Ohio State University

University of Northern Iowa

Humtown Products

HA Group

About YBI

YBI is a globally recognized economic development nonprofit that advances innovation and growth across Ohio and beyond. Through a flexible suite of high-quality entrepreneurial services and resources, YBI supports startups, small businesses, and manufacturers at every stage of development. For more information, visit YBI.org.

About America Makes

America Makes is the nation's leading public-private partnership for additive manufacturing (AM) technology and education. America Makes members from industry, academia, government, and workforce and economic development organizations work together to accelerate the adoption of AM and the nation's global manufacturing competitiveness. Founded in 2012 as the Department of War's National Manufacturing Innovation Institute for AM and the first of the Manufacturing USA network, America Makes is based in Youngstown, Ohio, and managed by the not-for-profit National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM). Learn more at americamakes.us.

Media Contact:
Jessica Sprowl
Marketing and Communications Director, YBI
[email protected]

SOURCE YBI