Success Videos
NCMS collaborations have resulted in innovative solutions
for our member organizations. Here are a few examples:
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The electronics industry is constantly trying to increase the
performance characteristics of electronic products by increasing
component density and speed. The National Center for Manufacturing
Sciences (NCMS) responded to a NIST ATP funding opportunity by creating
the Advanced Embedded Passives Technology (AEPT) Consortium This
collaborative consortium included 3M, Coretec, Inc., Delphi Electronics
Corporation, DuPont Electronic Technologies, Electro Scientific
Industries, Inc., Foresight System Inc., Hewlett-Packard, MacDermid,
Inc., Merix Corporation, MicroFab Technologies Inc., Nortel Networks
Inc., and ITRI/IPC. The AEPT consortium created innovative new materials
and board fabrication processes that enable passive components to be
embedded throughout the layers of printed wiring boards. Embedding the
passive components in the board and closer to the active components
increases circuit performance, speed, and electro magnetic
characteristics. Space on the board previously taken up by these
components can now be utilized for additional active components. The
AEPT Consortium has created a new technology that is already being
applied in production. |
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The Department of Defense is tasked with maintaining a
number of aircraft which are critical to maintaining the defensive
posture of the United States. The Department of Defense turned to the
National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) for a solution. NCMS
brought together a collaborative team comprised of the Aging Landing
Gear Life Extension Program (ALGLE)
at Ogden Air Logistics Center, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL),
The University of California (Davis), and the Metal Improvement Company. The
team created found a way to dramatically the lower the costs of laser peening to
extend the life of landing gear components. Laser peening works by vaporizing a
thin layer of paint on the surface of the component. The resulting shock wave
compresses the component improving material resistance to fatigue induced
damage. The team demonstrated an economically viable laser peening solution that
doubled the fatigue resistance over currently deployed methods. Laser peened
landing gear components have up to twice the service of components being
serviced using standard peening processes. This innovative solution was
demonstrated on parts for the T-38 aircraft but implementation of this
technology to other weapons systems could result in saving millions of dollars
per year. |
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TM LENS is a registered trademark of Sandia
National Laboratories.
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The use of America’s aircraft, combat vehicles,
artillery and small arms continues to extend beyond their intended life,
performance and reliability become increasingly critical to ensure
equipment is combat ready. However, the complex properties of the superalloys that compose the equipment’s components
and assemblies prevent the use of conventional repair methods. To address the
DoD’s need to identify sophisticated R&O techniques, CTMA executed a
collaborative research project to analyze the feasibility of employing LENSTM
rapid-prototyping technology as a quick and cost-effective long-term solution.
After completing the first project phase of technology assessment and
validation, the team proved not only that LENSTM technology meets critical
performance demands, but initial results also indicated that the projected
annual savings will be more than $747,000 over the initial target goal of just
under $5.6 million. |
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The Light Armored Vehicle Life Cycle Logistics Support
Tool Team deployed sensors that allow maintenance personnel to remotely monitor
armored vehicles. Maintenance can then be performed depending on need rather
than using a calendar-based schedule. Deployment of this “condition based
maintenance” system in its light armored vehicles is expected to result in a net
cost savings of $22 per mile of LAV operation. Additionally, the sensors are
fully scalable and support wireless mesh networking, allowing LAV's in the field
to communicate with one another and alert the crews to vehicle status. Vehicle
data is also shared over a secure wireless connection with advance field and
distant logistics/maintenance facilities, creating a common operating picture
and allowing for seamless maintenance operations that improve turnaround time
and get LAV's into the field more quickly. The team is looking into the
possibility of expanding the Sense & Respond project in order to explore more
advanced wireless networking capabilities and still more vehicle sensors. |
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Wiring is the electromechanical infrastructure that
links subsystems throughout aircraft. No longer considered a commodity
part, wiring is recognized as a critical aircraft component, requiring
special maintenance tools and processes. The purpose of the EWIS project was to improve turnaround time for
diagnosis and repair of wiring faults in combat aircraft, using a combination of
commercial technologies and new tools developed by project partners. The success
of the project has been overwhelming: EWIS tools reduce a process that could
take many hours to a matter of minutes, providing concise wiring fault location
information to technicians and getting combat aircraft flying again sooner. As
wiring incidents are common throughout the services, EWIS technology also
provides a common test system that will offer benefit well beyond aircraft for
the Navy, Air Force, Army and Marines. EWIS has already in use at multiple DOD
sites, reducing the troubleshooting workload and increasing the reliability of
materiel. The EWIS project was a massive success on all levels, winning the 2006
Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award, and providing incalculable cost savings
for vehicle wiring maintenance. |
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