Adds Depth on Challenges of U.S. Manufacturing Competitiveness

ANN ARBOR, MI – January 27, 2010. The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced two exemplary additions to its Board of Directors.  Dr. Thomas Kurfess of Clemson University and Ramsen Betfarhad of Bridgewater Associates each bring unique qualifications to guide the nation’s leading cross-industry manufacturing R&D consortium.  

“It’s a testament to our success that we continue to attract such talented people to our board,” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO. “Each of these men brings a unique perspective to U.S. Manufacturing, and their experience and vision will help the NCMS better serve U.S. Manufacturers through successful R&D collaborations, advocacy, program management, and knowledge transfer. This board expansion is part of our long-term commitment to keeping the U.S. in a leadership position in global manufacturing. Dr. Kurfess and Mr. Betfarhad bring real passion and vision. I am excited to work with them.”

Dr. Tom Kurfess is the BMW Chair of Manufacturing and Director of the International Center for Automotive Research, Clemson University (CUICAR). He received his S.B., S.M. and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from M.I.T. where he also received an S.M. degree in electrical engineering and computer science.

Ramsen Betfarhad is a Senior Research Associate with Bridgewater Associates – a large investment management firm in Westport, Connecticut. Prior to joining Bridgewater, he served as the Deputy Assistant for Domestic and Economic Affairs to former Vice President Cheney. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Economics and International Relations from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service; J.D. from Tulane University School of Law; and an L.L.M in International and Comparative Law from the Georgetown University Law Center.

“Dr. Kurfess and Mr. Betfarhad will be phenomenal additions to our already impressive board of directors, said Chairman of the Board, Ralph Resnick, Vice President and CTO of NCDMM. “NCMS has guidance by some of manufacturing’s top minds, including representatives from GE and Cincinnati MAG. These two gentlemen will be in excellent company.”

The NCMS is the largest cross-industry collaborative research and development consortium in North America. Boasting over 300 members and 330 collaborative R&D projects since its inception in 1986, NCMS is also the administrative agent for the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC), an organization with close to 200 members and millions of dollars in competitive project awards since 2007.

For more information, visit http://www.ncms.org

Ultra Precise Calibration Process Will Save DOD Millions Annually

ANN ARBOR, MI – December 2, 2009.  The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced that its Volumetric Accuracy for Large Machine Tools (VALMT) project has pioneered an innovative process in establishing a new methodology in volumetric error compensation for large machine tools.  The costs for current assembly practices of measuring and fitting are substantial; reducing the amount of reworking of machined parts during onsite vehicle assembly will save the Department of Defense (DOD) and the commercial aircraft industry millions of dollars. 

“The innovative VALMT project will save the DOD millions while ensuring weapon systems are mission ready and available for our warfighters when they need them,” said NCMS Vice President Chuck Ryan.  “This technology will also pave the way for reducing the manufacturing costs of commercial ships and aircraft, benefiting both government and industry”

The success of the VALMT project was recognized this week with a Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award presented by the National Center for Advanced Technologies (NCAT), the seventh award of its kind given to NCMS for its outstanding cooperative efforts on technology development between government, industry and academia.

"This groundbreaking process will dramatically reduce assembly and fitting costs which represent up to 1% of the total cost per aircraft," said Sam Easley, Engineer/Scientist, Metallic Processes at The Boeing Company.  "On large programs like the F-18 or the 700 series, we could save $100 million per year."

“VALMT has the potential to save the U.S. Navy money and shave valuable time off of vessel construction costs, putting assets where they are most needed, with the warfighter.” said Faris Ibrahim, Mechanical Engineer of the Naval Foundry and Propeller Center.
 
The VALMT project teamed private industry (Automated Precision Inc., The Boeing Corporation, Siemens Energy and Automation and MAG Cincinnati Machine, LLC) and the DOD (U.S. Air Force Logistics Center, Naval Foundry and Propeller Center, U.S. Navy Fleet Readiness Center East, and the U.S. Army Anniston Depot) using the NCMS R&D collaborative process to quickly develop this groundbreaking technology.

“The success of the VALMT project rests heavily on the technical expertise and collaborative R&D experience of the NCMS and its partners,” stated Richard Curless, CTO at MAG Industrial, “The NCMS has been a leader in bringing government and industry together to create usable technologies for over 23 years and this project is just another of many feathers in their proverbial cap.”

About NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the largest cross-industry collaborative research and development consortium in North America, and is the only consortia effort in the U.S. devoted exclusively to manufacturing technologies, processes and practices. NCMS has over 20 years of experience in the formation and management of complex, multi-partner collaborative R&D programs, and is backed by corporate members representing virtually every manufacturing sector.

The NCMS-CTMA project, Laser Coating Removal of Composite Helicopter Blades, has successfully installed the paint stripping unit at Cherry Point, which is certified for production use. We welcome people interested in seeing this unit work in production as we celebrate with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Cherry Point, North Carolina.

The ribbon-cutting will include remarks by RDML Tim Matthews (COMFRC/AIR), Col.Scott Loch (Commander FRC East), CAPT Stephen E. Iwanowicz (Commander, NUWC Division Keyport) as well as testimonies from the artisans from the paint stripping shop. Following the ceremony, attendees are invited on a tour of the FRC East facilities in the afternoon.

For more information please contact:

NCMS Program Manager Debbie Lilu at (734) 995-7038 or debral@ncms.org.

The second annual member meeting of the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is being held today in Sterling Heights, MI in coordination with the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research and Development Engineering Center (TARDEC). The meeting will include notable speakers such as Dr. Grace Bochenek, Director of TARDEC and Dr. Jim Overholt, Director of the Joint Center for Robotics at TARDEC as well as a tour of their impressive facility in Warren, MI.

Formed in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology, the RTC has doubled its membership from 88 to 178 members in the first year.  Working closely with the Department of Defense, the RTC helps to match technology concepts with military priorities and then informs and engages industry to develop those technologies, all in record time from RPP to award.  Using this successful formula, the RTC has funded 17 technology proposals since 2008.

The RTC and the NCMS take pride in the rapid growth and progress of the consortium and its distinguished membership which includes companies such as iRobot, Carnegie Mellon University, Boeing and Lockheed Martin as well as its ability to engage smaller companies with big ideas, those of which make up over 70% of the current membership.  This unique membership base enables partnerships and problem solving between government and industry, in ways which further the technology of ground robotics at an unprecedented rate.

“NCMS has put their extensive resources behind the RTC,” said Helen Greiner, RTC President.  “They are an excellent interface for private industry to government and have established a communication forum for the industry, in addition to helping establish the RTC brand identity.”

Located in Ann Arbor, MI, The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the administrative agent and government interface to the RTC. “The NCMS worked directly with the robotics industry to form the RTC in 2008,” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO and Chairman of the RTC. “We used our experience of over 23 years in collaborations to help drive the success of this consortium to its impressive status today.”

Membership in the RTC is open to U.S. companies, academia and non-profits operating within the robotics industry.  Information and an application for membership can be found on the RTC website at www.roboticstechc.org or by calling (734) 995-3098.

About RTC

The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is a non-profit, industry organization formed in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations. Administered by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), the consortium was established to meet a need identified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (OSD/JGRE) and currently has a membership of over 178 large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations. The RTC seeks to solicit and engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.For more information, visit http://www.roboticstechc.org/

About NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the largest cross-industry collaborative research and development consortium in North America, and is the only consortial effort in the U.S. devoted exclusively to manufacturing technologies, processes and practices. NCMS is the administrative agent for the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) and has over 23 years of experience in the formation and management of complex, multi-partner collaborative R&D programs, and is backed by corporate members representing virtually every manufacturing sector.For more information, visit http://www.ncms.org

NCMS Art Director Christopher Fick has been recognized for his outstanding creativity with three American Graphic Design Awards.

The American Graphic Design Award competition is in its fourth decade and recognizes outstanding new work in 23 categories from print and packaging to internet and interactive design.  The competition is open to everyone in the graphic arts community - graphic design firms, advertising agencies, inhouse corporate and institutional designers, publishers and other media. 

Award Category- Print Collateral.  This image communicates the many benefits of the NCMS Collaborative model.  It is the cornerstone slide of the NCMS PowerPoint presentation used to promote the organization.

Award Category- Poster.  This image communicates the new vision and scope of NCMS activities.

Award Category- Multimedia.  This multimedia holiday card appeared on the NCMS web site. 

Please stop by Booth 333 to see these member companies showcasing technology created using the NCMS collaborative process.

• REI Systems , complete predictive diagnostic and repair suite for aircraft
• Aspire Solutions, Inc., automated process & inspection guide.
• Spectro, Inc., FluidScan, quickly evaluates fluid quality using infrared spectroscopy
• Centerline, LTD., advanced kinetic spray repair process.

 For more information contact Debbie Lilu at debral@ncms.org or call (734) 995-7038.

ANN ARBOR, MI – April 20, 2009. The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced that Mr. Ralph Resnick has been elected as Chairman of their Board of Directors.

 “The NCMS believes that manufacturers must innovate to compete,” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO. “Ralph has been leading manufacturers on the path of innovation and global competitiveness for over 27 years.  He has been a great asset to us since our inception and we are very excited that he is taking on this larger role as Chairman.”

Mr. Resnick is Vice President, Chief Technology Officer and Director of Corporate Development for the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM).

“Mr. Resnick’s dedication to advancing manufacturing technology is evident in his impressive track record of industry service and accomplishments,” said NCDMM President and Executive Director, John S. VanKirk, “I congratulate Ralph on his new role as Chairman of such an outstanding organization, and commend NCMS on their excellent choice of leadership.”

Prior to joining NCDMM, Mr. Resnick served as Chief Technology Officer for both The Ex One Corporation and Extrude Hone where he was a major contributor in establishing these companies as global leaders in advanced manufacturing process research and technology transition.

“I want to thank my colleagues on the NCMS Board of Directors for the confidence that they have shown by electing me Chairman.  I look forward to working closely with Rick Jarman in growing NCMS’ ongoing contributions to manufacturing advancement and collaboration,” said Mr. Resnick.  “I also thank outgoing Chairman, Dick Morley for his resolute leadership and abiding inspiration.“

Mr. Resnick succeeds outgoing Chairman Richard Morley, who will remain on the NCMS Board.  A leading visionary in the field of advanced technological development, Mr. Morley is best known for his invention of the programmable logic controller and floppy disk. During his time as Chairman, NCMS was selected by the Department of Defense to manage the Robotic Technology Consortium (RTC), received six Defense for Manufacturing Awards for their CTMA projects and a prestigious JEC Award in Transportation just this past year.

“Dick Morley’s energy and perspective has helped NCMS grow during his time as Chairman,” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO. “We thank him for his service and are gratified that he will remain as a member of our Board.”

 Mr. Courtney Hill, of GE Aviation, was elected Vice Chairman of the Board.  Mr. Hill is the General Manager of Manufacturing and Quality Technology, and is responsible for the development of next generation affordable manufacturing and inspection processes that support GE Aviation’s products and services worldwide.

Geoff Wood- Profile Composites, Craig Snyder- Bayer, Michael Fancher- NCMS

NCMS was formally recognized last week for the creation of a new process for creating high pressure hydrogen storage tanks for vehicles.  The JEC Innovation awards identify the most innovative composite solutions worldwide and contribute to the advancement of the composite industry.

NCMS brought together Profile Composites, Inc; Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America; Bayer MaterialScience, LLC; MAG Cincinnati Automation; and A&P Technology to design a new manufacturing process to increase production volume. The team used a resin material custom formulated by Bayer and applied it to a dry fiber preform, rather than the conventional – and slow – filament winding process of the traditional model. As a result, a new tank is ready for market 18x faster than filament winding, and project partners are confident that speeds can be doubled with additional improvements to the process. 

NCMS is no stranger to global recognition for its collaborative R&D management model: the Michigan-based non-profit has won six Defense Manufacturing Excellence Awards and five consecutive R&D 100 Awards. NCMS also administers the Robotics Technology Consortium for the Defense Department, overseeing over 100 participating companies and a budget in the hundreds of millions. Recently, another collaborative NCMS DoE project made headlines as two recently developed fuel cell stacks served as the sole source of power for an Oakland, California passenger bus for more than 130 hours over two weeks, a fantastic example of NCMS innovation taking one step closer to mass-market reality.

ANN ARBOR, MI – January 28^th, 2009. The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) has partnered with the Council on Competiveness and AMT - Association for Manufacturing Technology to present the 2009 Compute & Collaborate for Competitive Advantage (C3A) conference.  C3A will explore how companies are using High Performance Computing (HPC) to innovate and increase competitive advantage in the global marketplace.  The C3A Conference will be held September 28-30 in New Orleans, LA.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       While While HPC has obvious benefits, its cost was prohibitive, making it affordable to only the largest companies and organizations.  Recent advances in computing technology, coupled with the rise of cloud computing, have made this valuable resource available to all companies.  HPC promises affordable access to tools that will allow businesses to simulate tasks and processes on a massive scale, resulting in faster commercialization and superior products. 

“HPC is leaving the lab and becoming available to businesses of all sizes.  It’s going to change everything,” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO. “Companies that use this powerful tool create innovative products faster and more efficiently then their rivals.”  

“HPC remains a largely underutilized competitiveness asset in the United States for the majority of companies,” said Deborah Wince-Smith, President of the Council on Competitiveness. “This represents a huge productivity opportunity for the nation and a competitiveness transformation challenge.” 

Including speakers from Sun Microsystems, PING, Inc., Oak Ridge National Laboratories, General Electric and Louisiana State University, the C3A Conference is targeted towards business professionals, and will help organizations chart a roadmap for utilizing HPC.  The dynamic sessions will highlight how companies are using HPC to create better, more sustainable products with less risk and a faster time to market.   

Register today for this important event.For more information the C3A Conference or to register, visit http://www.ncms.org/c3a/

About NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the largest cross-industry collaborative research and development consortium in North America.  NCMS has a 23 year track record in the management of complex, multi-partner collaborative R&D programs which deliver innovative manufacturing innovations to market faster than traditional methods.

For more information, visit http://www.ncms.org

About AMT

Founded in 1902, The Association For Manufacturing Technology represents and promotes the interests of American providers of manufacturing machinery and equipment.  Its goal is to promote technological advancements and improvements in the design, manufacture and sale of members' products in those markets and act as an industry advocate on trade matters to governments and trade organizations throughout the world.