NCMS, GE and MEDC Partner to Bring Advanced Modeling & Simulation to Manufacturers

• Partnership between National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, GE, and Michigan Economic Development Corporation will provide small- and mid-size manufacturers access to critical tools.
• Inaugural center promoting advanced digital manufacturing to open in Michigan in early 2013.
• Additional centers, connected by a collaborative national innovation network, to follow across the nation.

Ann Arbor, Mich. – November 13, 2012 – The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) announced today that it has partnered with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to establish the first innovation center in a national grid that will accelerate manufacturing in Michigan and across the country by providing easy access to digital modeling and simulation tools for businesses.

GE’s AMSTC in Van Buren Township, MI

GE’s Advanced Manufacturing and Software Technology Center, located outside of Detroit, will host the first NCMS Predictive Innovation Center (PIC). Through this effort, Michigan companies will forge a path to increased global competitiveness, by providing manufacturers with a virtualized approach to building that combines high performance modeling, simulation, and analysis (MS&A), data mining tools, and the digitization of processes to optimize speed, reliability, and efficiency.

“When you talk about creating jobs and growing the economy in Michigan, these are the kind of long-range opportunities that will really make a difference,” said Rick Jarman, president & CEO of NCMS. “With the help of this center, small- and mid-size manufacturers will be able to deliver solutions faster, and expand their supplier reach to large companies. It is incredible to imagine the hundreds of small companies in Michigan that will have the potential to grow as a result of this premier facility.”

Steve Reagan of L&L Products, Inc. (Left) with Chris Fick, NCMS (Right)

“Michigan manufacturers – and the talented workers they employ – help make our state a global center of innovation,” Michigan Economic Development Corporation President and CEO Michael A. Finney said. “We are proud to support efforts like this that cement our manufacturing dominance and help our businesses compete, grow, and create new jobs.”

MEDC has provided a grant for the creation of the center, which is matched with industry support from NCMS members. The premier center will be open to the public in the first quarter of 2013.

About NCMS:

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, the largest cross industry collaborative Research & Development consortium in North America, is dedicated to driving innovation in commercial, defense, robotics and environmentally sustainable manufacturing. NCMS has over 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.  For more information on NCMS, visit http://www.ncms.org/

NCMS rolled out its plan to revitalize American manufacturing in 2011, forming the Digital Manufacturing Strategic Interest Group (DM SIG), a collaboration of hardware and software providers, industry, and academia, collectively advising development of a national grid for manufacturers, a physical and virtual collaborative environment to drive adoption of essential 21^st century tools. For more information on NCMS’ digital manufacturing initiative please visit http://www.ncms.org/index.php/programs/digital-manufacturing-initiative/.

About GE:
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com.

VIDEO:  “A Sign of Goodness”

Produced by The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences

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Jon joined NCMS in 2009 and has been an integral key to furthering a National strategy to bring digital modeling and simulation tools to the over 300,000 small and medium sized companies in the U.S. who do not have access currently and in doing so, transforming the way America builds. He heads up NCMS’ Digital Manufacturing Strategic Interest Group (DM SIG) which includes members from Microsoft, Intel, ANSYS, ACE Clearwater Enterprises, Ohio Supercomputer Center, Clemson University and Altair – all working to address challenges and steer digital manufacturing tools towards widespread adoption for U.S. manufacturers.

“Jon has been invaluable to NCMS and our digital manufacturing initiative,” said Rick Jarman, President & CEO of NCMS, “his passion around bringing HPC tools to manufacturers of all sizes is palpable, and we are confident U.S. manufacturing will thrive and prosper while his vision continues to become reality.”

Mr. Riley joins an impressive list of luminaries in the spectrum of high performance computing and other advanced technologies on the “People to Watch 2012” list including DM SIG member Steve Reagan of L&L Products, Steve Scott, Nvidia, Mark Seager, Intel and David Ferucci of IBM.

Congratulations to all of the innovative and impressive persons named to this list. The future looks bright for U.S. competitiveness with these luminaries leading the way. To see the full list, visit http://www.hpcwire.com/specialfeatures/people_to_watch_2012

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Manufacturing references from President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union Address:

…We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world.  For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq.  For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country.  Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated.  The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.

These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces.  At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations.  They’re not consumed with personal ambition.  They don’t obsess over their differences.  They focus on the mission at hand.  They work together.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example.  Think about the America within our reach:  A country that leads the world in educating its people.  An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs.  A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world.  An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.

…Let’s remember how we got here.  Long before the recession, jobs and manufacturing began leaving our shores.   Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete.  Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling up.

…No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits.  Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.

This blueprint begins with American manufacturing.

On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse.  Some even said we should let it die.  With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let that happen.  In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility.  We got workers and automakers to settle their differences.  We got the industry to retool and restructure.  Today, General Motors is back on top as the world’s number one automaker.  Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company.  Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories.  And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs.

We bet on American workers.  We bet on American ingenuity.  And tonight, the American auto industry is back.

What’s happening in Detroit can happen in other industries.  It can happen in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh.  We can’t bring back every job that’s left our shores.  But right now, it’s getting more expensive to do business in places like China.  Meanwhile, America is more productive.  A few weeks ago, the CEO of Master Lock told me that it now makes business sense for him to bring jobs back home.  Today, for the first time in fifteen years, Master Lock’s unionized plant in Milwaukee is running at full capacity.

So we have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing back.  But we have to seize it.  Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple:  Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed.

We should start with our tax code.  Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas.  Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world.  It makes no sense, and everyone knows it.

So let’s change it.  First, if you’re a business that wants to outsource jobs, you shouldn’t get a tax deduction for doing it.  That money should be used to cover moving expenses for companies like Master Lock that decide to bring jobs home.

Second, no American company should be able to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving jobs and profits overseas.  From now on, every multinational company should have to pay a basic minimum tax.  And every penny should go towards lowering taxes for companies that choose to stay here and hire here.

Third, if you’re an American manufacturer, you should get a bigger tax cut.  If you’re a high-tech manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction you get for making products here.  And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers.

My message is simple.  It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America.  Send me these tax reforms, and I’ll sign them right away.

We’re also making it easier for American businesses to sell products all over the world.  Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years.  With the bipartisan trade agreements I signed into law, we are on track to meet that goal – ahead of schedule.  Soon, there will be millions of new customers for American goods in Panama, Colombia, and South Korea.  Soon, there will be new cars on the streets of Seoul imported from Detroit, and Toledo, and Chicago.

I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products.  And I will not stand by when our competitors don’t play by the rules.  We’ve brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration – and it’s made a difference.  Over a thousand Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires.  But we need to do more.  It’s not right when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated.  It’s not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because they’re heavily subsidized.

Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trade practices in countries like China.  There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders.  And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company has an advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing finance or new markets like Russia.  Our workers are the most productive on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise you – America will always win.

…Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers – places that teach people skills that local businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.

…Of course, the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy.  So here’s another proposal:  Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings.  Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs for construction workers who need them.  Send me a bill that creates these jobs.

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ANN ARBOR, MI – January 4, 2012 – The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences announced today that Jon Riley has been promoted to Vice President, Digital Manufacturing. Mr. Riley joined NCMS as Executive Director of Design and Engineering Programs in March 2009 to lead NCMS’ groundbreaking Digital Manufacturing Initiative. Since then, he has been an integral key to furthering a National strategy to bring digital modeling and simulation tools to the over 300,000 small and medium sized companies in the U.S. who do not have access currently and in doing so, transforming the way America builds.

With his extensive experience in the areas of R&D, High Performance Computing, business development and design methodologies, Riley has been extremely successful in promoting NCMS’ Predictive Innovation Center (PIC) Strategy, including identifying key partnerships, serving on numerous steering committees, solidifying alliances and reaching out to manufacturers of all sizes through speaking engagements and networking.

“Jon has demonstrated an uncanny ability to engage industry at all levels around digital manufacturing,” said Rick Jarman, President & CEO “he is a great asset to not only our team, but to the digital manufacturing community as a whole, I am confident he will continue to energize U.S. Manufacturing.”

In his new role as Vice President – Digital Manufacturing, Mr. Riley will build on his nearly 25 years of experience to execute NCMS’ National PIC Strategy working with local, state and federal resources to bring accessible, affordable digital manufacturing tools to U.S. manufacturing.

About NCMS:
The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, the largest cross industry collaborative Research & Development consortium in North America, is dedicated to driving innovation in commercial, defense, robotics and environmentally sustainable manufacturing. NCMS has over 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. For more information on NCMS, visit http://www.ncms.org/

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The NCMS program to create digital manufacturing centers to provide high performance computing (HPC) tools and expertise to U.S. manufacturing companies is making waves nationally. Earlier this month, the Harvard Business Review took notice, and now Computerworld.

The latest article describes how L&L Products, in Romeo, Mich., doubled its size after adopting HPC technology.

L&L began using high performance computing about six years ago to build a new structural composite line for automotive makers. To accomplish this, it needed to design and test its products in vehicle crash simulations to see how they could be best applied in automobiles…”It doubled our business,” said Reagan, adding that the firm now makes about $220 million annually and has about 900 global employees.

NCMS is now moving ahead with a plan to make this technology available to all U.S. manufacturers. Initial estimates indicate that over 300,000 companies could benefit from digital manufacturing to create new products and grow their companies. If even a fraction of these companies have the success of L&L the impact on the national economy will be profound.

In addition to deploying digital manufacturing centers, NCMS has formed a Digital Manufacturing Strategic Interest Group to identify and break down barriers that have prevented  manufacturers from adopting HPC technology.

Full Article

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In a recent blog entry, Manufacturing’s New Innovation Labs, the Harvard Business Review (HBR) cites NCMS efforts to provide advanced modeling tools to U.S. manufacturers as prime example of how companies are finding new ways to innovate in response global competition. NCMS is creating a network of regional centers to make high performance (HPC) tools available to all U.S. manufacturers and partnering with other organization with a similar vision.

…Smaller companies in the manufacturing sector, competing in a global environment for increasingly sophisticated products, often don’t possess the financial strength or the in-house technical expertise to take advantage of the available science and engineering resources that can help them innovate and grow. New types of local and regional consortia or clusters are popping up in response to this problem, sometimes facilitated by public-private partnerships. An interesting example, just getting under way, is the Midwest Project for SME-OEM Use of Modeling and Simulation–a consortium of large OEMs like General Electric, Proctor & Gamble, and Deere; the State of Ohio; and several projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), including the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, the Ohio Super-Computer Center, and the Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN).

NCMS has also formed a Digital Manufacturing Strategic Interest Group to identify and break down barriers to adoption that have prevented  manufacturers from adopting HPC technology.

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Manufacturing in America is at a crossroads. The expectation to innovate is increasingly pushed down on smaller manufacturers, who in turn desperately need access to advanced new tools in order to remain competitive. Jon Riley, Executive Director of Design & Engineering Programs at the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences, provides new insight into the very lynchpin of the American economy – the “Missing Middle” of manufacturers that are responsible for more than fifty million jobs nationwide. The Missing Middle’s opportunity lies in digital manufacturing and high-performance modeling and simulation – and NCMS has a strategy to bring these tools to the manufacturers who need them most.

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Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Arthur C. Clarke, “Profiles of The Future”, 1961

How do people describe manufacturing? Most recite some variation of the three Ds (dirty, dangerous, declining) that are remnants of the past.

Some think that manufacturing in the United State has completely disappeared or soon will.
It’s hard to think of a more misunderstood or unappreciated industry.

Use the hundred year test- imagine trying to explain a Boeing 777 to your 1911 counterpart.
“It’s a vehicle that can transport 300 people over 9000 miles and travels faster than a speeding bullet. It was created using tools (computers) and materials that don’t exist in your time.”

To your 1911 counterpart a Boeing 777, the tools used to create it,and knowledge to take it from concept to reality is magic.

And these tools and processes are commonplace in virtually every manufacturing sector today.

So why the bad rap for Manufacturing?

Sometimes we confuse the issue by separating and defining the each aspect of the manufacturing process- design, testing, assembly, etc. but make no mistake it’s all manufacturing.

Recently President Obama announced the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) a national effort to invest in the emerging technologies to create manufacturing jobs and enhance the United States’ global competitiveness. This national recognition that manufacturing is important is a step in the right direction. But the manufacturing industry needs to step up efforts to inform the public.

The term “knowledge worker” is in vogue to describe new economy jobs. Imagine how much knowledge it takes for manufacturing companies to succeed? Every step of the manufacturing process requires in depth knowledge of engineering and materials science. Will the parts fit together? Will they be durable enough? And countless other questions necessary to complete the  cycle of innovation to bring that product into the real work and making it commercially available.

Every day, quietly and without fanfare American manufacturers are creating the magic that most take for granted.

And if we aren’t careful that magic will disappear.

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The public and private sectors will partner to lead the resurgence of American manufacturing, creating new technologies and most importantly, jobs.

NCMS will work continue to work with other national organizations, the White House, and our consortium members to realize these goals.

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Predictive Innovation Centers to provide Secure, Scalable, Affordable and Accessible Smart Manufacturing Tools to U.S. Manufacturers

ANN ARBOR, MI – The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), the largest cross industry consortium in North America and a leader in next-generation manufacturing strategies, announced today that they are poised to bring next generation design and manufacturing tools to industry of all sizes, revitalizing U.S. manufacturing.

Today, speaking at Carnegie Mellon University, President Obama announced the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP), a national effort devoted to collaboration between industry, academia, and federal government to drive innovative technologies that will create quality manufacturing jobs and enhance global competitiveness.

“The AMP concept outlined by the President today, is forged upon the recognition that by driving collaboration between talent, investment, and infrastructure, we can revitalize manufacturing in North America and get back to making things” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO, “NCMS has a comprehensive national strategy to bring smart manufacturing tools to industry and their supply chain in an accessible, affordable way.”

The NCMS aligns with AMP’s pursuits that will drive entirely new competitive business models:

• Domestic manufacturing capabilities in national security
• Reduced time to market for advanced materials
• Next-generation robotics
• Sustainability across the manufacturing and product lifecycle

NCMS has a long history of successful collaborations between industry, government and academia. Manufacturing knows how to make. Academia knows how to envision. And Government support provides the needed investment and encouragement to keep this meeting of the minds on the right track. NCMS applauds The President for leading this initiative and giving the U.S. the opportunity to once again become the leader in Global Competitiveness by implementing advanced manufacturing tools across the industry, revitalizing the U.S. economy and creating jobs in a 21st Century world. Because the future is not made, it is manufactured.

About NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the largest collaborative R&D consortium in North America and is dedicated to driving innovation in commercial, defense, and robotics manufacturing. NCMS has 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.

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

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How Modeling & Simulation Will Drive 21st Century Manufacturing Growth

ANN ARBOR, MI – May 19, 2011. The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced that it has brought together leaders in high performance digital manufacturing to brief the Congressional Research and Development and Congressional Modeling and Simulation Caucuses on how high performance computing is poised to drive explosive manufacturing growth. The event will raise awareness of modeling and simulation in the Congress as an essential tool for small and medium sized manufacturers to help them to innovate and compete. NCMS, along with three of its partner companies, will brief the Congress on its vision for developing a knowledge infrastructure which leverages the wealth of talent, ideas and facilities within our universities, national labs and industrial research centers to bring modeling and simulation to the nation’s manufacturers.

“As U.S. manufacturers are struggling to remain competitive in an increasingly challenging global marketplace, high performance computer modeling and simulation presents a key competitive opportunity.” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO. “Small and medium companies must begin to tap these superior technologies to become more competitive and be better equipped to compete and spur job creation.”

In addition to Jon Riley, Executive Director of Design & Engineering Programs at NCMS, panelists include Intel, John Deere and Ace Clearwater who have all embraced modeling and simulation as an essential technology in their operation. Each company will bring their unique perspective to the briefing and discuss how this technology has made a difference to their bottom lines. In addition, they will identify the collaborative models that must be created to enable small and medium sized manufactures to adopt America’s next great industrial game changer.

“NCMS is leading a national effort to make practical digital manufacturing tools available to small and medium sized companies and we look forward to sharing our strategic plan with Congressional leaders” said Jon Riley, “American companies need these tools to compete and succeed in the global marketplace.”

Event Details & RSVP

Contact:
Phil Callihan philc@ncms.org o-(734) 995-2046 c-(734) 260-3724

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Jon Riley will Present “Transforming the Way America Builds:Implementation Roadmap for a National Innovation Network, ” at the 2011 HyperWorks Technology Conference, held June 22-23 in Orlando, Florida

Abstract: Just as the assembly line and electric power infrastructure were the keys to a strong manufacturing base a century ago, a Digital Manufacturing infrastructure is critical to the future of American industry.  Economic uncertainty and leaden growth have slowed innovation, but access to cutting edge tools such as high performance modeling and simulation provide a bold path forward, essentially transforming the way America builds.  In this presentation NCMS will document the overall strategy, outline the progress made towards implementation and share means of engagement for interested organizations.

Hyperworks Technology Conference

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SAN DIEGO, CA. May 5, 2011 – Tabor Communications Inc. (TCI), a leading international media company and publisher of HPCwire and HPC in the Cloud, today announced the appointment of John Kirkley as Editor for its recently announced online web portal, Digital Manufacturing Report.

Digital Manufacturing Report is being published in partnership with the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), the largest cross-industry collaborative research and development consortium in North America. The new publishing effort is focused primarily on providing news, information and resources covering advanced computing technologies, enabling small to mid-size manufacturers (SMMs) to be more competitive in the global marketplace.

“There is no editorial executive in the technology publishing industry with more relevant experience than John in guiding our efforts with the NCMS to inform and educate the digital manufacturing community,” said Tom Tabor, CEO of Tabor Communications Inc. “John has the gift of taking complicated technologies, dissecting them, and clearly articulating their benefits to audiences in an easy-to-digest format. In addition to his proven track record in online IT communications, John has written extensively about and is actively engaged in the digital manufacturing initiatives. I am pleased that he has accepted this role, and I look forward to his active involvement as part of the executive management team.”

As a writer and editor, John Kirkley is widely recognized for his work in the computer and telecommunications industries spanning the past four decades. The former editor of Datamation magazine, John also created Computer magazine at the request of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Computer Society, acting as both its editor and publisher. John’s most recent work was as President of Kirkley Communications, providing consulting services and marketing communications expertise to multiple high technology companies, with a focus on high performance computing (HPC). John has also been honored with the IEEE Computer Society’s Golden Core Award for his contributions to the organization.

“I’m honored to accept the role as Editor of Digital Manufacturing Report and to build on the momentum generated by the Tabor Communications and NCMS,” Kirkley said. “Our goal is to help advance the use of digital technologies throughout the manufacturing community. We are deeply committed to building a solid, trusted relationship with our audience by providing the level of news, information and guidance necessary to insure the industry’s success.”

About Tabor Communications, Inc.
For over 25 years, Tabor Communications Inc. has served global industry leaders of the high performance computing community. TCI is a leading, international media company that provides solutions, news and information to the High Performance Computing (HPC), cloud, and Information Technology (IT) communities. Tabor Communications companies include Tabor Advertising and Tabor Publications & Events. More information on Tabor Communications can be found at http://www.taborcommunications.com/

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A Strategic Interest Group (SIG) is a collection of like-minded, cross-industry people who share a common vision. Together they help shape the technology and drive innovations into the hands of people who need it. The NCMS will the serve the SIG as an impartial third party  guiding the overall collaboration to help deliver funding opportunities and research projects.

For the past year NCMS, in collaboration with the Alliance for High Performance Digital Manufacturing (AHPDM), has been building awareness regarding the need in our nation to break down the barriers hindering manufacturers from affordably accessing these technologies.  The purpose of the SIG will be to guide the development and growth of the associated technologies, including a national network of HPC assets available over the web as a service to manufacturers. Group subcommittees will work with universities, manufacturers, providers and funding partners to continue to build awareness, expand the capability base, and provide the necessary tools and training.

Development of a SIG charter is already underway, with the primary objective being to break down barriers to entry and bring solutions to manufacturers of all sizes.   Future efforts and meeting dates will be communicated in the very near future.

If you are interested in more information or want to become a part of this SIG please contact Jon Riley at jonr@ncms.org.

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Jon is leading the NCMS effort to implement a practical national strategy for making HPC tools available for U.S. Manufacturers.

April 8, 2011 (9:00 AM to 2:00 PM CST)
Omni Houston Galleria Hotel, Houston, Texas
Co-located with the HPC User Forum (April 5-7, www.hpcuserforum.com).

Studies have shown that using high-performance computing (HPC) to accelerate modeling and simulation can provide a significant competitive advantage for manufacturing companies. Today, most industry usage of HPC is done by the largest companies, either in-house or in collaboration with leadership-class HPC centers. Unfortunately for most small and medium sized companies, using HPC in-house is not an option because they lack the resources and specialized IT skills. While many of the regional HPC centers across the U.S. have the computing cycles and IT capabilities available to support small and medium sized industrial users, few centers do so.

This workshop will bring together representatives of regional HPC centers and other interested parties to discuss better support for small and medium sized industrial users. The expected outcome is a report which captures what industrial usage models have worked successfully for HPC centers, what obstacles exist that prevent more widespread industrial engagement across centers, and what is required to overcome these obstacles. We expect this to be the first of a series of workshops over the coming months, with future workshops dealing with topics such as HPC software licenses and industrial science challenge problems.

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Secretary McHugh responded by saying that modeling and simulation is absolutely essential. He went on to say that modeling and simulation offers some of the best ways we can ensure our soldiers are acclimated and prepared for what they see in theater, and he said the technology is becoming increasingly important to our military.

Not only can modeling simulation help our soldiers be better prepared for the battlefield, it also has the potential to give them superior tools to help ensure their safe return to their families. Modeling and simulation will impact every critical training and equipment purchase for the foreseeable future.

NCMS is moving forward with a practical strategy to place high performance computing tools, critical to modeling and simulation, within the reach of every manufacturing company in the United States.

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The National Digital Engineering and Manufacturing Consortium (NDEMC) announced their formation last week in a White House press conference. NDEMC’s focus is to use HPC technology to energize the U.S. manufacturing sector. The consortium includes NCMS, the Council on Competitiveness, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), the Ohio Supercomputing Center (OSC), and Purdue University, as well as industrial partners John Deere (Deere and Company), General Electric, Procter & Gamble, and Lockheed Martin.

The consortium, as co applicants, were funded with a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce and an additional $2.5 million investment from industrial partners. The NDEMC will be tasked to spread adoption of advanced modeling and simulation capability using High Performance Computing, or HPC, throughout the supply chains of some of our nation’s leading manufacturing OEMs. While large manufacturing companies successfully use these tools to improve their products, smaller companies lack the resources and technical knowledge to do so. NDEMC will attempt to fill that gap by relying on consortium members to reach this “missing middle” of late adopters before it is too late.

“As the leader in practical innovation for U.S. Manufacturing, NCMS is excited to partner with those who recognize the potential of HPC,” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO. “We will work to ensure that the NDEMC fulfills its promise of speeding new technology and adding jobs to U.S. Manufacturing and related sectors in technology and service.”

This collaboration will bolster and enhance the NCMS national strategy announced last September. The strategy proposed the creation of a network of Predictive Innovation Centers (PIC), which would focus on the small and mid-sized manufacturer and would offer them the tools, training and expertise to leverage the power of advanced computational technologies. These centers will help to revitalize manufacturing by creating jobs and giving American manufacturers a technological edge in global competitiveness.

NCMS will use its track record of successful manufacturing R&D development to help ensure that the NDEMC service offerings are of immediate practical use to small manufacturers.

“We have been working with small manufacturers on a practical HPC strategy for several years now,” said Jon Riley, Executive Director of Design & Engineering Programs at NCMS. “We are ready to hit the ground running and create a valuable resource that will allow American companies to compete and succeed in the global marketplace.”

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Just as the electric power infrastructure was the key to a strong manufacturing base a century ago, a digital manufacturing infrastructure is critical to the future of American industry. Economic uncertainty and leaden growth have slowed innovation, but access to cutting edge tools such as high performance modeling and simulation provide a bold path forward, essentially transforming the way America builds.

Full Article

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Automotive manufacturers and their suppliers are pressing to innovate in order to increase vehicle fuel efficiency to meet federal CAFÉ guidelines by integrating lightweight materials into new vehicle designs. These lightweight materials pose unique challenges and opportunities that must be addressed. The solutions for some of these challenges may be found in other industries such as aerospace and defense or in new tools and processes.

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) has assembled an innovative suite of software tool providers and cross industry innovators to help manufacturers of all sizes to realize the benefits of lightweight materials while lowering costs, minimizing risk, and speeding commercialization. For the past two years NCMS has been managing the Light Weight Automotive Program (LAMP) awarded by the Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), and is administered by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).  There are currently seven projects operating under this program.  Each of these projects is leveraging the use of High Performance Computing (HPC) modeling and simulation (M&S), to support the selection and optimization of lightweight materials for their products during the product design phase. The tools developed in this NCMS program will allow companies of all sizes to use this cutting edge capability which in the past was cost prohibitive and generally not available.

For the next phase of this program, NCMS is working in partnership with the DOE to bring together 2-3 additional R&D collaborative projects to continue to accelerate development of the knowledgebase and infrastructure for lightweight materials and manufacturing processes for use in automotive applications.  The objective for each project must be to develop and validate remotely accessed virtual technologies (termed Apps or Sims) leveraging existing M&S capabilities that can significantly reduce the design, development and / or manufacture of lightweight components without compromising cost, performance, safety, or recyclability.  The target is to create the means for numerous small and medium sized manufactures to be able to remotely access these tools.

The goal at NCMS is to assemble cross-industry collaborative teams for each project.   While some participants are not specific to automotive and others are not in automotive at all, every successful project team benefits from a broad set of eyes.  Many of these challenges / benefits addressed within NCMS projects have broad applicability.

MODELING & SIMULATION ENABLEMENT REQUIREMENT

The use of M&S will be a component of each project to develop and demonstrate how these tools can reduce product design time, optimize the material and manufacturing process, reduce cost, and improve environmental sustainability.  Incorporating at least one enabling mechanism granting affordable access to the supplier level will either be an explicit part of each project, or an underlying task will develop and demonstrate these tools across a selection of the projects. Once advanced M&S tools are developed, they need to be validated to assure the tools are accurate and reflect performance.  Each of the projects will require validation of these tools.  Finally, each project shall provide the required electronic, virtual web-based training for automotive suppliers to understand and leverage the developed tools.  In parallel with NCMS’ ongoing partnership with DoE are our efforts to bring modeling and simulation capabilities to the nearly 300,000 small and medium sized manufacturers in the U.S.). 

DEADLINE

The deadline for submission of project ideas is Friday, December 17, 2010 at 5 PM EST.   All submissions should be sent electronically to:  Jon Riley, Executive Director, Design & Engineering Programs Jon Riley, jonr@ncms.org.   For more information about the required content, process, timetable or other questions please contact Jon Riley via email (above) or at 734-995-0556.

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NCMS recently presented its strategy to help revitalize American small and mid-sized manufacturers through advanced computer digital manufacturing during an event held in collaboration with Intersect360 Research and key industry players such as Microsoft and Intel in the Alliance for High Performance Digital Manufacturing (AHPDM), at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Center in Washington, DC.

Jon Riley, Executive Director of Design & Engineering Programs, discusses the plan to develop a National Innovation Network of high performance computing centers that would give the 300,000 small and medium-sized manufacturers access to digital manufacturing technologies.

NCMS Radio- Jon Riley “Revitalizing Manufacturing- Transforming the Way America Builds” (12:16)

Press Release

Subscribe to NCMS Radio on iTunes- search for NCMS.

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National Center Presents Strategy to Revitalize U.S. Manufacturing
Study Reveals that Digital Modeling and Simulation
holds the Key to Job Growth and Global Competitiveness in Manufacturing

Today, the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) presented its strategy to help revitalize American small and mid-sized manufacturers through advanced computer digital manufacturing during an event held in collaboration with Intersect360 Research and key industry players such as Microsoft and Intel in the Alliance for High Performance Digital Manufacturing (AHPDM), at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Center in Washington, DC.

NCMS unveiled a plan to develop a National Innovation Network of high performance computing centers that would give the 300,000 small and medium-sized manufacturers access to digital manufacturing technologies. The centers would facilitate innovation, competitiveness and job growth, leveraging the wealth of supercomputing talent, ideas and facilities within our universities, national labs and industrial research centers. The whitepaper outlining the strategy is available for download at www.ncms.org.

“NCMS has created a plan to reach what many in the industry term ‘The Missing Middle’” said Rick Jarman, President & CEO, NCMS. “Our Predictive Innovation Centers (PIC) will focus on the supply chain, allowing them access to digital manufacturing technologies affordably, helping them to compete globally and essentially transforming the way America builds.”

As part of their strategy, NCMS has proposed the creation of a network of Predictive Innovation Centers (PIC) which would focus on the small and mid-sized manufacturer and would offer them the tools, training and expertise to leverage the power of advanced computational technologies. These centers will help to Revitalize Manufacturing by creating jobs and giving American manufacturers and especially the supply chain, a technological edge in global competitiveness.

For decades, the largest U.S. automotive and aerospace manufacturers have used supercomputing technologies to shorten time-to-market, improve product quality, and reduce costs through computer-aided design, digital modeling and simulation. In order to better understand how small and mid-sized manufacturers could more broadly adopt digital manufacturing process and supercomputing technologies, NCMS and Intersect360 Research conducted a study.

The data revealed that 80% of SMMs want more opportunity to experiment with advanced technologies, if they could do so at minimal risk and that 75% saw competitive value in digital manufacturing as studies show that early adopters have recorded 66% reductions in product design cycle time, and 98% reductions in cost for lab testing of new products. However, manufacturers typically encounter barriers not only with the cost of acquiring the computer hardware and software necessary to start or expand a digital manufacturing program, but also with the expertise to implement new technologies and validate their results against existing processes.

“The NCMS plan is simple and resonant, in that it responds to exactly what the SMMs have said they need,” says Addison Snell, CEO of Intersect360 Research. “According to our study, U.S. manufacturers specifically want this from an organization like NCMS rather than an academic institution or government agency. There is a sense of trust associated with a nonprofit whose stated mission is the enhancement of manufacturing in the United States.”

The event agenda includes speakers from General Electric, Ace Clearwater Enterprises, Intersect360 Research, Microsoft and Intel as well as various government officials all speaking to the need for a wider adoption of digital manufacturing throughout the supply chain in order for U.S. manufacturing to remain globally competitive.

For more information on the event, report or strategy, contact Alissa Roath at (734) 995-3457 (office), (248) 563-2875 (cell), alissar@ncms.org or Amy Pezzillo, Media Relations, Intersect360 Research (888) 256-0124 (office), (408) 390-2649 (cell), amy@intersect360.com

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 driving innovation in manufacturing 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.
For more information, visit http://www.ncms.org

About Intersect360 Research
Intersect360 Research is a market intelligence, research, and consulting advisory practice focused on suppliers, users, and policymakers across the High Performance Computing ecosystem. Intersect360 Research relies on both user-based and supplier-based research to form a complete perspective of HPC market dynamics, trends, and usage models.
More information on Intersect360 Research can be found at: www.intersect360.com

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Please join us on September 30th, 2010 as we unveil an exciting new strategy to help American manufacturers compete globally by harnessing advanced computing in an accessible, affordable way.

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) along with its partners in the Alliance for High-Performance Digital Manufacturing (AHPDM), have developed a strategy to leverage the awesome power of high-performance computing for the estimated 300,000 small and medium-sized manufacturers in the United States. Once available only to universities and national labs, access to this technology has been called a “game changer on the level of the assembly line,” and will drive the manufacturing of the 21st Century.

Representatives from NCMS and Intersect360 Research will unveil a comprehensive feasibility study on the application of high-performance computing to manufacturing, and define an exciting strategy to bring it to American businesses of all sizes.

The event, co-sponsored by AHPDM members Microsoft and Intel, will include speakers from Ace Clearwater Enterprises, General Electric and various Government representatives.

Event begins at 1:00pm ET

Reception Immediately to Follow

For More Information Contact:
Alissa Roath, NCMS
alissar@ncms.org
(734) 995-3457

The Rotunda Room at the
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC

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NCMS seeks assistance for ongoing project related to web-based access to high performance computing tools. The optimal scope requires part time support (1-2 days / month) to review and document the generic steps followed to validate a computer model.  These generic steps must then be embodied in an “application” that can be broadly used to validate computer models in simulations such that the information generated can confidently leveraged.  The respondent should have a strong understanding of computer modeling, simulation and engineering, design space exploration methods, and particular knowledge of the use of complexity as a design metric.  Understanding the complexity-based methods used by the Ontospace software tools as supplied by Ontonix LLC is required.

NCMS is looking for a partner that has the right technical capabilities, can work with experienced people in this field, and offer best overall process to accomplish the goals and objectives of this project.  All interested parties must reply by July 24^th.

For more information please contact:

NCMS Executive Director of Design & Engineering Programs
Jon Riley, jonr@ncms.org (734) 995-0556

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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.

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.

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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.

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

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To achieve this end, the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences is developing 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 that we can innovate smarter, faster, and more predictably.

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The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced that President & CEO Rick Jarman will be a keynote speaker at the 2010 Americas Hyperworks Technology Conference being held April 27-29 in Novi, Michigan. Jarman will speak to how collaboration, innovation and commercialization are critical to the revitalization of the U.S. Manufacturing Industry, and how utilizing cutting-edge technologies like high performance modeling and simulation capabilities will help small and medium sized manufacturing companies in the U.S. compete on a global scale.

Day One Keynote- NCMS President Rick Jarman

Innovation in Manufacturing for Tomorrow:
Competitiveness in the 21st Century

Using the proven NCMS collaboration model developed nearly 25 years ago, Jarman will demonstrate how bringing the stakeholders to the table from the beginning, managing the collaboration and optimizing the R&D helps to achieve the innovation AND take it to market at less cost, and less risk than traditional models.

“Good R&D produces innovations, but that’s not the end of the line,” said NCMS President & CEO Rick Jarman. “Every flash of genius, every successful outcome, every realized solution needs to be brought to market.” Collaborative R&D enlists the needs of the end users from the very beginning, ensuring successful commercialization of the innovation.”

In 2007 the Board of Directors named Rick Jarman President and CEO of NCMS, the largest cross-industry collaborative manufacturing research consortium in the United States devoted exclusively to manufacturing technologies, process and practices. Formed in 1986, the NCMS mission is focused on the development of strategic initiatives and programs aimed at sustaining and enhancing the global competitiveness of North American manufacturing.

The Hyperworks Technology Conference (HTC) brings together more than 600 industry professionals from a broad range of industry verticals including aerospace, automotive, consumer products, electronics, healthcare, heavy equipment, military, rail transit, ship building and white goods. Thought provoking keynote addresses and client presentations highlight industry trends in enterprise simulation and how manufacturers are enabling innovation through simulation. For more information about the 2010 Americas Hyperworks Technology Conference, please visit http://www.altairhtc.com

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Please join us for a free webinar – learn about the future of affordable
high performance modeling and simulation tools and virtual development,
and discuss specific case studies to realize the potential of these exciting
new tools for your business!

Registration Link: Wed, Jun 24, 2009 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

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Please join us for a free webinar – learn about the future of affordable
high performance modeling and simulation tools and virtual development,
and discuss specific case studies to realize the potential of these exciting
new tools for your business!

Registration Link: Wed, Jun 24, 2009 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT

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The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) today announced that Jon Riley, currently of L&L Products in Romeo, Michigan, will be joining the NCMS staff as Executive Director of Design & Engineering Programs.

“Jon brings with him extensive experience in the areas of R&D, High Performance Computing, business development, design methodologies and strategies,” said Rick Jarman, NCMS President & CEO. “He has a clear vision and strong understanding of the great benefits that high performance computing will bring to manufacturing in the coming years.”

At the NCMS, Riley will be responsible for identifying partnerships and alliance opportunities to help the NCMS and U.S. manufacturers remain competitive in a global market. His goal will be to make advanced development tools such as high performance computing (hardware, software and human expertise) available for manufacturers of all sizes.

“The NCMS collaborative model, which delivers innovation while managing risk, is a perfect fit for high performance computing,” said Riley. “HPC will be crucial to the future of U.S. manufacturing.”

Jon brings over 20 years of experience to the NCMS in the areas of virtual and physical product development, design and validation. For the past 13 years, he has worked at L&L Products, Inc., a successful Tier I automotive supplier, as an engineering manager responsible for their Composite Body Solutions product line, used for a wide variety of crashworthiness and NVH applications. During his time at L&L, Jon led a global initiative to evaluate and implement required resources for the virtual development of these products including people, hardware and software.

Prior to L&L, Jon worked as a dynamics technical specialist in the aerospace industry and in the vehicle safety group at Ford Motor Company. He earned his B.S and M.S. degree in Aeronautical & Astronautical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana.

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The NAFEMS World Congress 2009 will be THE International Congress on Simulation Technology for the Engineering Analysis Community. This is your opportunity to attend this world-renowned bi-annual Congress, and ensure that your organisation is part of the largest and most respected independent engineering analysis event on the calendar.

More Information

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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. 

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.

About The Council on Competiveness

A nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization in Washington, D.C., the Council shapes the debate on competitiveness by bringing together business, labor, academic and government leaders to evaluate economic challenges and opportunities. Conferences, seminars and special events are used to disseminate the Council’s findings and recommendations to experts, policy makers, government officials, media and the general public.

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…Over in Ann Arbor, Richard B. Jarman, president and CEO of the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), agrees that a transformation is under way and needs to be nurtured. “So much is currently dedicated to the automotive industry, but that doesn’t mean it has to be,” he says. “What I see in Michigan, and what I am so optimistic about, is that people (in the traditional automotive-related businesses) understand how to engineer and make things. That capability can cross all kinds of industries.”

“We need to build an innovation ecosystem, if you will,” Jarman explains. “The ecosystem has three major components. The first is talent, and we’ve got plenty of that. The second is continuous investment in that innovative ecosystem. And last but not least, and often overlooked, an infrastructure that says, ‘We know in an innovative way how to manage intellectual property, and we know how to maintain a steady flow of capital and financing when needed.’ . . . I have been in other areas of the country, other areas of the so-called rust belt, where they experience a real brain drain, but there’s a lot of talent in Michigan, and all we need to do is make sure we can invent a system to thrive.”

Full Article

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For over 20 years, the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) has been a leader in working with manufacturing and other technology companies taking innovation out of the exploratory phase into implementation for commercial applications. These actions are leveraging the resources and infrastructure of all, for solutions that improve the competitive standing of our manufacturing base.

Product and process design will continue to take a more holistic approach as sustainability, product cost, and product lifecycle are factored into the development of commercial products early in the design process. NCMS is developing a number of national high performance computing (HPC) centers and collaborative projects designed to change the approaches an engineer takes as product design is streamlined, manufacturing is optimized and total product lifecycle is addressed, by unleashing latent innovation and driving greater profitability of manufacturing companies.

Chartered to increase the productivity and profitability of U.S. manufacturing companies through services that slash the product development costs support lean initiatives, NCMS is building a shared use infrastructure for HPC that will tap the pent up innovation of our manufacturing base.

Rick Jarman – NCMS

In the spirit of collaboration, NCMS has partnered with The Association for Manufacturing Technologies (AMT) and The Council on Competitiveness for a conference highlighting the cutting edge technology of HPC.

HPC remains a largely under utilized competitiveness asset in the United States for the majority of companies. This represents a huge productivity opportunity for the nation and a competitiveness transformation challenge.

Deborah Wince – Smith, President of Council on Competitiveness

This conference will explore HPC and how this technology is changing the landscape of research, manufacturing and product design. Industry leaders and innovators from across the country will come together to explore HPC and to learn how it can give their companies a clear competitve advantage.

September 28th-30th, 2009
The Astor Crowne Plaza
New Orleans, LA

About NCMS – The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) was founded in 1986 and is the largest cross-industry collaborative R&D consortium in North America. NCMS collaborative teams have an extensive track record of creating and commercializing innovative technologies.

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.

About The Council on Competitiveness – A nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization in Washington, D.C., the Council shapes the debate on competitiveness by bringing together business, labor, academic and government leaders to evaluate economic challenges and opportunities. Conferences, seminars and special events are used to disseminate the Council’s findings and recommendations to experts, policy makers, government officials, media and the general public.

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Automotive manufacturers and their suppliers are pressing to innovate in order to increase vehicle fuel efficiency to meet federal CAFÉ guidelines by integrating lightweight materials into new vehicle designs. These lightweight materials pose unique challenges and opportunities that must be addressed. The solutions for some of these challenges may be found in other industries such as aerospace and defense or in new tools and processes.

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) has assembled an innovative suite of software tools and cross industry innovators to help automobile OEMs, tier one suppliers, and component manufacturers realize the benefits of lightweight materials while lowering costs, minimizing risk, and speeding commercialization.

Through the use of High Performance Computing Simulation (HPCS) manufacturers will select the best lightweight materials for their products, during the design phase of development. The tools developed in this NCMS project, utilizing HPCS will allow companies of all sizes to use this cutting edge capability which in the past was cost prohibitive and generally not available.

NCMS has immediate project opportunities for companies who want to integrate lightweight materials into their product designs. The US Department of Energy, with the goal of helping the automotive industry to increase fuel efficiency, is sponsoring this groundbreaking program through the NCMS which has more than 20 years of management experience with projects of this magnitude and scope.

For more information please contact:

Senior Program Manager Steve Hale, 734-995-2195, stevenh@ncms.org

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INDUSTRY NEEDS

Manufacturing is a complex and increasingly more costly undertaking.  Reducing this complexity and cost is a central goal of the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.  There are literally hundreds of thousands of potential factors impacting a manufactured product including the introduction of new materials, environmental concerns, and the need for timely product commercialization.   It is critical that these factors be evaluated during the design phase of product development, prior to full scale production.  Potential, costly flaws can be identified and corrected at this phase and it is also possible to identify innovative product configurations.

VISION

NCMS is developing services and collaboration on cross industry projects that will revolutionize product design for manufacturers.  The High Performance Simulation for Product Design (HPSPD) program will enable manufacturers of all sizes to use super computer processing power to evaluate their product designs during the development stage.  NCMS will bring together technology developers, providers and end users to create a set of tools that are affordable, timely, and speed the commercialization of manufactured products to the marketplace. We believe that this product development methodology will become an industry standard over the next decade.  Early adopters of HPSPD will have a distinct competitive advantage over their global competitors.

CAPABILITY

NCMS has identified Decision Incite Inc. as a leading innovator in this emerging technology.  The Decision Incite team has developed a process called Simulation Supported Decision Making (SSDM) which simulates millions of variables to pinpoint the top five to twenty most influential characteristics of a new design.  Identifying these hypercritical characteristics help companies focus on design aspects that will have the most impact on the final product.  This benefit alone would make SSDM an invaluable tool to manufacturers.

But the SSDM process also helps identify “outliers” which are potential configurations that are not normally visible to traditional experience-based product design methods.  These outliers can help identify potential problems and new innovative configurations that can greatly increase profitability and utility to the end user.

The SSDM process requires access to high performance computing power which in the past was not available to most manufacturers.   SSDM utilizes the relatively new availability of surplus high performance computing capacity to make design capability affordable. The SSDM tool is linked to supercomputing centers to quickly generate Insight Maps.  These Insight Maps are used to focus work into the areas deemed of highest importance and impact in order to understand the cause and effect of changes made during the product design phase.  The obvious benefit is that identifying potential issues early on, helps reduce costs since design improvements can be made prior to actual production.Traditionally design decisions have been made on educated guesses based on experience.  This process is no longer suitable to the manufacturing of complex goods incorporating new materials, sensors, electronics and other innovations.  As flaws between relationships are discovered, correction of otherwise expensive production changes and product liability issues follow.

The SSDM process begins with the creation of a simulation-generated Insight  Map being applied to the results of a Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS).  The data is generated by running multiple physics-based analyses of a parameterized computer model, varying parameters across their natural ranges with each run.  The process accurately models reality, incorporating variability and uncertainty.  Results are a cloud of points with each point being an accurate result of that specific combination of variables.

MCS is easy to use, with no special algorithms or methods required.  The process is independent of the number a variables found in other testing methods, which leads to a fundamental change in engineering.  That change in historic engineering is the first step of the process in which assumptions are made to be able to simplify a problem in order to solve it.  Instead of making assumptions to limit the number of variables, this process promotes including as many variables as possible, enabling engineers to use Insight Maps as tools to learn from simulation which can reveal unanticipated events and reduce product risk.

CONCLUSION

Detailing an innovative product during the design phase is a natural evolution in lean manufacturing.  It is vital that manufacturers prepare to integrate this capability into their design process.  Moreover, as the manufacturing space becomes more competitive, companies should look to this capability as a means to reduce risk and speed commercialization of their products. NCMS will be at the ground floor of this dynamic change in the engineering process. Learn more on this project from NCMS http://www.ncms.org and Decision Incite Inc http://www.decisionincite.com at the NAFEMS NA regional summit October 29^th-31^st, 2008 in Hampton, VA. Visit http://www.nafems.org for more information.

ABOUT NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) was founded in 1986 and is the largest cross-industry collaborative R&D consortium in North America.  NCMS collaborative teams have an extensive track record of creating and commercializing innovative technologies.

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