The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced that its Volumetric Accuracy for Large Machine Tools (VALMT) project has been honored with a R&D 100 Award. VALMT, which pioneered an innovative process in volumetric error compensation for large machine tools, is the fifth R&D 100 Award NCMS has received. Widely recognized as the "Oscars of Innovation," the annual R&D 100 Awards honor excellence in high technology products.

 "VALMT will save ship and aircraft manufacturers millions of dollars," said NCMS Vice President Chuck Ryan. "Machine tool calibrations used to take an entire week, with VALMT the same process can be performed in a day. The benefits of this technology aren’t just time savings; it will allow for more accurate parts, reducing or eliminating expensive re-work during assembly."

Learn More About VALMT- Podcast  VALMT Awards and Articles

The NCMS Collaborative R&D Process teamed private industry (Automated Precision Inc., The Boeing Corporation, Siemens Energy and Automation and MAG Cincinnati Machine, LLC) and the Department of Defense (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) for the VALMT project, quickly developing the groundbreaking technology affordably, and with less risk than alternative “go it alone” R&D methods.

“The secret to the success of NCMS R&D is collaboration,” said NCMS President & CEO Rick Jarman. “Collaboration maximizes benefits and reduces risk and cost. This award is the latest validation that the NCMS collaborative model works.”

Winners of the R&D 100 Awards are selected by an independent judging panel and the editors of R&D Magazine. The publication and its online portal serve research scientists, engineers, and other technical staff members at high tech industrial companies and public and private laboratories around the world.

R&D 100 is not the only award to honor VALMT: the technology also received a coveted Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award for outstanding cooperative efforts on technology development between government, industry and academia (the seventh for NCMS). Northrop-Grumman recently selected VALMT to improve accuracies on their large-volume machine tools used for production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The NCMS is moving forward with the development of a national innovation network; a knowledge infrastructure which leverages the wealth of talent, ideas and facilities within our nation’s universities, national labs and industrial research centers so we can innovate smarter, faster and more predictably.  

One of these efforts is a collaborative project with the University of Michigan’s Tauber Institute for Global Operations, a joint program of the College of Engineering and Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. The Institute meets industry's need for a new kind of graduate -- one who has an exceptional academic background, extensive professional experience, and can successfully integrate business and engineering perspectives to lead global operations into the future. 

Two Tauber students, Samuel Jih and Michael Trent, are working this summer with NCMS to review the overall Predictive Innovation Center (PIC) strategy and develop a business plan for a NCMS facilitated pilot center.  The successful implementation of this strategy will be achieved through effectively communicating the efficiency, affordability and value of HPC tools to the U.S. manufacturing supply base.

Recently, Samuel Jih and Michael Trent traveled to Washington, DC with NCMS Executive Director Jon Riley and NCMS Senior Vice President Rebecca Taylor to meet with key congressional members and DC-based partner organizations about the PIC initiative.  They met directly with Senator Levin (D-MI) and Congressman Dingle (D-MI) and briefed the staff of both Senator Stabenow (D-MI) and Congressman Lipinski (D-IL) about the PIC initiative.

Samuel Jih, Michael Trent, Senator Levin (D-MI)

Jon Riley, Congressman Dingell (D-MI), Samuel Jih, Michael Trent

They also had the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Office of Science and Technology Policy to discuss concepts related to Alternative Energy (SmartGrid) PICs, pilot centers partnering with large US OEMs and their supply chains, and how to improve our nation’s small and medium manufacturers (SMEs) ability to access and engage our national labs.

The NCMS-Tauber collaboration is an outstanding example of how the NCMS is bringing together industry, academia, and government leaders to create the future of North American Manufacturing. 

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) needs your help to provide valuable input as we develop a new collaborative innovation network that increases access to advanced computing tools for product design, engineering and manufacturing. These tools will enable businesses of all types to innovate faster, more competitively, and at lower cost. The touch point for these resources will be regional centers coordinating the required education, training and affordable access to shared high-performance modeling and simulation tools.

In order to attract the needed resources, we are conducting a survey of potential stakeholders in this collaborative model, and we have identified you as someone whose particular insight would be especially valuable. Our goal is to learn more about industry’s use of computing and information technology, and how to structure a model that addresses common needs of industry. Please follow this link to contribute to this 10 minute survey. We greatly appreciate your willingness to provide feedback on an initiative that will help North American business and manufacturing compete more effectively on a global scale.

Regards,

Rick Jarman
President & CEO, NCMS

Alternate survey link: 
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ncms_technology_survey

NCMS is seeking participants for a new forming NMRPP project, Catapult Alignment Position Measurement Automation.

The current aircraft carrier catapult alignment method is marginally reliable due to multiple degrees of error and limited data.  Over the 100 meter length of the catapult trough, mechanics repeatedly align a fixture to reference lasers and manually conduct gap and alignment measurements of catapult trough components at fixed points.  Trough components, as well as reference points, significantly shift over the data collection period as a result of thermal effects. Accuracy also suffers from laser instability, difficult fixture centering, mechanical measurement error and recording errors.  A more comprehensive, accurate and reliable representation of component position is needed to determine position corrections in a shorter time.  More accurate data and increased data points would result in better alignment, fewer position correction iterations, fewer alignment checks, and less overhaul schedule risk. 

This project anticipates development of an automated measurement system to increase the speed, accuracy and quantity of component position measurements.  Possibilities would include:

• Automated distance measuring and data acquisition devices, providing increased accuracy over cross-sectional distance
• Photogrammetry
• Laser alignment technologies
• Various other applicable technologies used in metrology, independent or in conjunction as a suite to acquire data points over 100 meters
• The above real-time data acquisition systems to be transmitted to a portable laptop or storage device.

The objectives of the NMRPP Catapult Alignment Position Measurement Automation project are:

• perform detailed requirements analysis and validation of current catapult alignment procedures
• identify cost effective automated metrology technologies
• define the tools, standards and processes to support proper alignment of catapult components.

Additionally, this project seeks to enagage metrology experts, laser and optics technologies, and software developers to achieve the necessary collaborations to develop the optimum technology solution to achieve improved catapult alignment position measurement. This project currently seeks commercial and Department of Defense participants with an interest in metrology, laser alignment, or other technologies related to an extended-length measurement process.  NCMS is a non-profit membership organization.  Project Participants must become NCMS members for those collaborative teams who are asked to submit a larger proposal.

Heidi Hottinger heidih@ncms.org (360) 782-1370.

Photo credit U.S. Navy.

NCMS is seeking participants for a new forming NMRPP project, New Technology Metal Deposition Repair for Navy Ship/Submarine Components.

Current methods of Metal Deposition Repair (MDR) for worn and corroded components are primarily limited to electroplating/conventional welding processes, which have significant limitations for component repair.  New MDRs are needed for valve bodies, valve balls, pump housings, compressors, impellers, shaft components/seals, and many other general wear and sealing areas on ships and submarines.

A number of existing metal deposition capabilities are available which could be applied to Navy component repair, building on existing, proven capabilities.
This project anticipates development of a wider range of repair options for problematic applications.  Significant ROI potential is possible by salvaging components previously scrapped, increased repair longevity, increasing operational availabilities and reducing repair costs of current repair processes (a previous aluminum laser deposition resulted in a cost savings of $35K per torpedo/target shell).  The objectives of the NMRPP New Technology MDR project are:

• perform component selection/ROI analysis
• develop repair process applicable to selected components, including performing metallurgical analyses
• obtain NAVSEA certification for up to three Fleet components.

Additionally, this project seeks to engage machinery OEMs, materials and software developers to achieve the necessary collaborations to develop the potential of these technologies for DoD and industrial applications.  This project currently seeks commercial and Department of Defense participants with an interest in electron beam deposition-welding, direct metal deposition, friction stir processing, metallurgical analysis, laser deposition, kinetic-spray, high velocity oxygenated fuel, and similar technologies related to component repair processes.  NCMS is a non-profit membership organization.  Project Participants must become NCMS members for those collaborative teams who are asked to submit a larger proposal. 

For more information please contact:

Heidi Hottinger heidih@ncms.org (360) 782-1370.

Photo credit U.S. Navy.

NCMS is seeking participants for a new forming NMRPP project, Environmentally Friendly Cutting Solutions. 

The current method employed for large-scale cutting and ship disposal (Oxy-Fuel) creates large quantities of visible emissions, metal fumes and debris.  Federal and State Clean Air Acts prohibit visible emissions greater than 20% opacity.  Attempts to control emissions to comply with these requirements have results in increased project costs and longer schedule duration.  This project will:

1. Develop and implement process improvements to control emissions associated with current cutting methods
2. Investigate steel cutting technologies with productivity comparable to standard flame cutting while meeting environmental requirements
3. Demonstrate effectiveness of these technologies on multiple cutting applications, where opacity levels, dry dock discharges and hazard waste reduction levels meet requirements of local, state and federal laws.

This project currently seeks commercial and Department of Defense participants with an interest in diamond rope cutting, plasma-arc welding, waterjet cutting, laser cutting, or other technology related to large equipment cut-up with minimized opacity generation.   NCMS is a non-profit membership organization.  Project Participants must become NCMS members for those collaborative teams who are asked to submit a larger proposal.

For more information please contact:

Heidi Hottinger heidih@ncms.org (360) 782-1370.

Photo credit U.S. Navy.

NCMS announces the formation of a new collaboration- Navy Maintenance and Repair Partnership Program (NMRPP).  Launching in the Pacific Northwest, with Project Managers assigned to NCMS West, in Bremerton, WA., NMRPP supports Naval shipyard and other maintenance and repair operations essential to sustain the most critical ships and undersea weapon systems in the Navy and assure maximum availability to warfighters. 

NCMS collaborative projects for research, development, evaluation and technology insertion highly leverage combined resources, knowledge and capabilities of participants to yield results and benefits faster and at lower cost than typical individual efforts.  NMRPP has been developed by NCMS to demonstrate, through selected technology deployments involving the Navy Maintenance and Logistics Community, that a wide range of commercial manufacturing technologies and best business practices currently unavailable to the Navy can have a substantial impact upon operating and sustainment costs and the readiness of major weapon systems.

Three projects are forming and are currently seeking potential industry and DoD partners:  Environmentally Friendly Cutting Solutions, New Technology Metal Deposition Repair for Navy Ship/Submarine Components, and Catapult Alignment Position Measurement Automation.

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced that project manager Dana Ellis has been elected Chairman of the Olympic College Manufacturing Technology Advisory Committee. The committee works to further the future careers of Olympic College students in a variety of technical field programs through building partnerships with local industry, providing internships through these partners, and critically reviewing course curriculum to maintain currency and relevance for manufacturing technology education.

“Kitsap County has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state, and Olympic College with its regional technical employers is a strong contributing factor,” said Ellis. “As Chairman of the Advisory Committee, I’m using the same collaborative methods that are core to NCMS principles, as the Committee works with local industry to improve Olympic’s program. The creation of jobs is our long term goal.”

The Manufacturing Technology program allows Olympic College to tailor its curriculum to meet the needs of the local community, local employers, and the military in overcoming the challenges of the current recession and meeting the requirements of the 21st century. Other technical programs at the College include Welding, Technical Design, and Electronics. These programs have all been identified as leading to successful manufacturing careers, and together fall under the Department of Labor-Pipeline to Manufacturing Careers Program. Each program has an Associate of Technical Arts Degree and/or certificate awarded upon successful completion of the courses. Local partners include NCMS, SafeBoats, and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.

NCMS is a national collaborative R&D organization which drives innovation through the rapid development and deployment of new manufacturing technologies and processes, while leveraging the strength of cross-sector collaboration. NCMS programs in the Pacific Northwest have addressed development of technology for security applications at military installations, vulnerability and risk assessment, emergency management processes and infrastructure protection. NCMS also manages sustainment and reset technology projects at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport.

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced that it has joined the Task Force for American Innovation. The Task Force is an alliance of America's leading companies, research universities and scientific societies with a mission to support investment in basic research in the physical sciences and engineering.

“Innovation occurs at the crossroads of talent, investment and infrastructure,” said NCMS President and CEO Rick Jarman. “For almost 25 years, NCMS’ almost 400 member companies have been bringing together these three key elements to develop leading edge technologies and manufacturing solutions to help industry remain internationally competitive. NCMS is proud to join the Task Force as it works to support innovations that are the key to long-term economic security and renewed American technology leadership.”

NCMS collaborative R&D model supports the nation’s system of innovation through the rapid development and deployment of new technologies and processes, while leveraging the strength of cross-sector collaboration. By bringing together the best from industry, government and academia to collaborate on new technology development, NCMS arrives at the solution faster and with less risk than traditional research models.

“We are pleased to have NCMS join the Task Force and bring their quarter century of expertise to bear on the issues and activities of the group,” said Doug Comer, Intel, Chair of the Innovation Task Force. “We look forward to working with NCMS to support the science and engineering enterprises that are so important to our continued competitiveness.”

On 28 – 29 April, FRC East hosted a Technology Showcase sponsored by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) through its Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities program (CTMA).  The showcase brought leading technology companies into FRC East to see first hand the challenges our maintainers face in order to identify innovative commercial solutions.

The Technology Showcase opened with Col. Loch providing an overview of FRC East operations and Mr. Greg Kilchenstein from OSD’s Maintenance Policy and Programs office providing an overview of maintenance technology’s role in DoD’s overarching strategy and he outlined the Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities program as proven technology transition venue.  NCMS member companies were given a comprehensive tour of FRC East operations and facilities.  Next on the agenda were table top displays, strategically located throughout the depot to ensure easy access for all base personnel to see the technologies  The table top displays provided industry representatives a unique opportunity to learn about challenges faced directly by the maintainers.  The first day concluded with a networking event at the “The Pitt.”  The second day was dedicated to one-on-one industry presentations with base personnel regarding solutions with immediate potential for deployment at FRC East.

The Technology Showcase was a powerful example of how the CTMA Program fast tracks innovative technical solutions from private industry directly into the hands of DoD personnel to increase systems availability while reducing cost.

NCMS members displaying technology included DIT-MCO International, Aging Aircraft Consulting, LLC, Superior Controls, iMAST/ARL (Penn State), Stratasys, Eclypse International, Adapt Laser Systems, Automated Precision, Inc., Aerowing, Imaginestics, LLC, Spatial Integrated Systems, Inc.,  Spectro Inc., GSA Service Company,  POM Group, REI Systems, Inc., and Pendaran Inc.,

Three CTMA projects have been formed to immediately meet FRC East needs:

• Wiring Shop Modernization - upgrade the capability to build and test wiring harnesses, currently very labor and time intensive.
• Automated Robotic Blade Stripping System (ARBSS) - Provide a reliability upgrade and training.  In addition, assess the challenges for wider deployment of automated paint stripping technology.
• Large Area Inspection of Composite Parts- evaluate and identify improved methods for detecting damage to composite aircraft components.

The Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities (CTMA) Program is collaboration between the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, its member companies, and the Department of Defense (DoD).  Under an historic Cooperative Agreement between NCMS and the OSD Office for Maintenance Policy and Programs,, NCMS and its member companies co-sponsor technology development, deployment and validation with DoD organic maintenance activities.  The current focus is the use of maintenance related technologies to reduce the costs associated with maintenance and rebuild of weapons systems as an element of the overall DoD maintenance strategy.

By partnering with NCMS government services members, the organic DoD maintenance activities are able to quickly assess the benefits of new manufacturing technologies in their own facilities, working side-by-side with industry leaders solving manufacturing problems through collaboration.

NCMS is the largest cross-industry collaborative research and development consortium in North America, and is the only consortium in the U.S. devoted exclusively to maintenance technologies, processes and practices. NCMS has nearly 25 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 next Technology Showcase will be 8 – 9 June at the Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany Maintenance Center in Albany, Georgia.