ANN ARBOR, MI – May 24, 2012 – The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences announced today that it has completed a six-year, $3.3M collaborative program under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), known as The Sustainable Product Initiative (SPI). The tools developed by NCMS and its partners during this highly successful program utilizing leading-edge life cycle thinking methodologies will be presented during a Sustainable Design and Manufacturing Roundtable on June 12th, 2012.

These new online tools, databases and guides for enhanced supply-chain collaboration will greatly improve the sustainability of manufactured products by standardizing environmental impact analyses across supply-chains, limiting the consumption of finite resources, lowering carbon intensity and instilling stewardship for the planet’s ecosystems.

For over 25-years, NCMS has led many successful collaborations focusing on the environment and sustainability. Recently, NCMS launched its 11th Compliance Assistance Center (CAC), a program funded by the EPA. These online centers provide easy-to-read and understand pollution prevention and environmental regulatory compliance information and tools for several industry sectors.

NCMS will outline the many tools available to corporate stakeholders at a roundtable event on June 12th at NCMS headquarters in Ann Arbor, MI. This free event includes keynotes by Dr. David Cole, Chairman Emeritus, Center for Automotive Research (CAR) and co-founder of AutoHarvest as well as John Viera, Executive Director of Sustainability for Ford Motor Company.

Panels will discuss topics such as Building Sustainability into Product Designs, Challenges in Materials & Coatings Sustainability, Knowing Your Customer’s Sustainability Needs and How Collaboration Can Help Companies Overcome their Sustainability Challenges.

Full agenda, registration and more.

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On April 12, Michigan Robotics Day was held at NCMS  Headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan to coincide with National Robotics Week. NCMS partnered with The Michigan Defense Center (MEDC) and Soar Technologies for this event to celebrate robotics in the State of Michigan. Industry leaders addressed a capacity crowd while the corridors and rear parking lot of NCMS were overrun by robots and enthusiastic students.

The event brought together the state robotics community to discuss how to best leverage its industrial and academic resources to make Michigan a global leader in this emerging field. Students were exposed to companies and researchers who are creating jobs and award winning technology in their own backyard. Judging by the optimism and creativity of the attendees robotics has a bright future in Michigan.

The event was emceed by Andrew Dallas, Vice President (Soar Technologies), a nationally recognized leader in the robotics industry.

NCMS President & CEO Rick Jarman shared his vision of Michigan companies using collaboration to be a global leader in the design and manufacturing of advanced robotic technologies. Congressman John Dingell (D-MI), who was detained in Washington to due to the budget crisis, welcomed attendees via video and expressed his enthusiasm for the event.

Keynote speaker Jim Overholt, Senior Research Scientist of Robotics for the U.S. Army, gave an entertaining and enlightening talk on the state of robotics technology. Overholt was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Sara Blackmer (Michigan Defense Center- MEDC) titled Robotics in the 21^st Century (and Beyond), bringing together local industry experts to provide insight into the future opportunities for Michigan companies.

The afternoon began with Professor Ed Olson (University of Michigan) detailing the award-winning efforts of Team Michigan in the Multi Autonomous Ground-Robotic International Challenge (MAGIC 2010) last year in Australia. He also brought along some of his robots to demonstrate their capabilities.

The speaking agenda concluded with a panel discussion with noted experts in various disciplines critical to the success of robotics in Michigan.

The rest of the day was dedicated to experts from industry and academia interacting with the Michigan FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) teams who were displaying their robots. They also appreciated the opportunity to see firsthand a DARPA challenge vehicle provided by Cybernet Systems Company which navigated autonomously through the rear parking lot.

The event is the latest effort by NCMS to help support the development of robotics on a national scale. The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC), an NCMS subsidiary, was formed in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations.

Michigan Robotics Day Web Site (Agenda, Webcast Info, More)

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ANN ARBOR, MI – March 31, 2011. The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) Defense Center and SoarTech will host a Michigan Robotics Day on Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at NCMS headquarters in Ann Arbor.

The event will showcase innovations and demonstrations in robotics and the program will include presentations from robotics industry luminaries as well as the region’s brightest robotics students. This event will be a celebration of the advances made by robotics companies and the growth of Michigan’s robotics technology sector, along with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in Michigan.

Rick Jarman, President & CEO, NCMS

“Michigan is positioned to be a global leader in robotics innovation based on the talent and infrastructure that already exists here in the state,” said NCMS President & CEO Rick Jarman. “Design and deployment of robotics technology will ultimately depend on advanced manufacturing – exactly the kind of capability in which Michigan companies excel. Our day long event will highlight the robotics successes in Michigan, confirming the region as an economic development engine for the State.”

Dr. Jim Overholt, Chief Scientist for Robotics with the United States Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), in Warren, Michigan will present the keynote address. Overholt is a recognized leader in the field of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence, with over 25-years of experience in military robotics. Dr. Overholt earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from Lawrence Technological University and a master and doctorate in systems engineering from Oakland University.

Sara Blackmer, Defense Sector Development Director, Michigan Defense Center

“When someone says ‘ROBOT’, many think of automated assembly lines or the stuff of some science fiction movie like The Terminator. But the reality is much more practical. We need to start thinking of the robotics discipline less as a replacement for people and more as an enabling technology that further national and regional goals. Things like energy efficiency and fuel economy,” said Sara Blackmer, of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “Federal agencies are looking for ways to smartly achieve these goals, and it is significant that the Defense of Department located their Chief Ground Robotics Scientist right in the middle of the nation’s premiere automotive and advanced manufacturing resources. He sees part of his mission as leveraging regional excellence to raise ground robotics reliability and strategically insert autonomous technologies to help solve tough challenges.”

The program will feature a panel of prominent local roboticists representing the defense, transportation, industrial, entrepreneurial, medical, and agriculture sectors – highlighting Michigan industry and its growing role in robotics. Also on the agenda is demonstration of the award-winning Multi Autonomous Ground-Robotic International Challenge (MAGIC) technology developed by Assistant Professor Ed Olsen and his team at the University of Michigan,, The demonstration will be webcast and followed with a panel discussion for the school robotics teams in attendance, highlighting the importance of STEM education and the next generation of robotics and roboticists.

Andrew Dallas, Vice President, Federal Systems, SoarTech

“STEM is crucial to helping grow robotics in Michigan,” said Andrew Dallas Vice President, Federal Systems, SoarTech. “Students can participate on robotics teams in high school, do ground-breaking research at our universities, and work in this growing industry. In fact, the future of robotics in Michigan is really bright. We have the knowledge, we have the infrastructure and the drive to make this state a global leader.”

The event will conclude with a demonstration of high school robotics teams and an informal networking and feedback from the industry panel experts.

Attendance is free and open to the public. The event takes place on April 12, 2011, starting at 9:00 a.m. Attendee registration, webcast information, agenda, and speaker bios for this event are available at:

http://www.mirobotics.org

About NCMS

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is the largest collaborative R&D consortium in North America and dedicated to driving innovation and competitiveness among manufacturers in commercial, defense, robotics, and related industries.  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.  NCMS is the home of the Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC), which has more than 180 members from industry and academia from around the country including 13 from Michigan.

In addition to collaborative R&D management, the company is an active advocate and innovator in building, providing, and aligning new solutions and processes to improve the competitiveness of North American manufacturers.
For more information, visit http://www.ncms.org

About SoarTech

SoarTech makes the vision of true autonomy a reality every day. By combining artificial intelligence with cognitive and social psychology SoarTech builds intelligent systems for defense, government and commercial applications that bring human-level intelligence and decision making to robotic systems. Their goal is to enhance human operations and abilities by creating thinking partners. Partners that work to make humans more prepared, more informed and more capable.

For more information, visit http://www.soartech.com

About MEDC

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is the State of Michigan’s one-stop resource for businesses seeking to grow in Michigan.  As a public corporation created through an interlocal agreement between state and local governments, the MEDC is a liaison with local communities and agencies across the state. It is guided by a board comprised of members who represent a cross section of the state economy, business owners and executives, local economic developers and college presidents. The MEDC brings together supply and demand and matches up resources and services with the needs of our business customers.

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

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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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NCMS celebrated the deployment of a new automated test capability system for night vision components at the Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD).

This CTMA collaborative project has developed automated test equipment for night vision tubes to replace the outdated manual test equipment presently used by government and industry. This capability will reduce cycle time for returned night vision devices and significantly reduce costs by increasing the reuse of image intensifier tubes while providing better test repeatability and efficiency.

Some 10,000 tubes are returned annually from the field and are demilitarized (destroyed) due to a lack of retest verification. However, image intensifier tubes “classified for demil” in the field have subsequently successfully passed MIL-specs during re-evaluations. This automated equipment will be capable of rapidly performing all optical A-tests as required by government and industry for image intensifier tubes.

Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) is the largest, full-service electronics maintenance facility in the Department of Defense (DoD). TYAD’s mission is total sustainment, including design, manufacture, repair and overhaul of hundreds of electronic systems that include satellite terminals, radio and radar systems, telephones, electro-optics, night vision and anti-intrusion devices, airborne surveillance equipment, navigational instruments, electronic warfare and guidance and control systems for tactical missiles. TYAD is the DoD’s recognized leader in the areas of automated test equipment, systems integration and downsizing of electronics systems.

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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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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.

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REGISTER NOW!
You have until COB Wednesday 4/21
to sign-up for our third Technology Showcase
FRC East, 28-29 April, 2010.

Please plan to participate in the third Technology Showcase to be held April 28-29, 2010.

This is an exclusive opportunity for NCMS members to display technologies for managers, engineers, and artisans at the Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East Maintenance Center in Cherry Point, North Carolina. The first day of the event will be for technology displays followed by a day of follow-up meetings with FRC personnel on potential applications.

FRC East is currently interested in the following technologies:

• Cleaning
• Data Collection Management
• Non-Destructive Inspection
• Dimensional Measurement
• Stripping/Coating Removal
• Coating/Plating Technologies
• Direct Digital Manufacturing
• Surface Finishing
• Analysis
• Composites

For more information please contact:

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

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Please stop in at Booth 217 at the NDIA Conference on March 16-18 in Miami, Florida to learn more about RTC and NCMS.

2010 Ground Robotics Capabilities Conference and Exhibition- Dual Role of Robotics Technologies-Public and Private Sector“

The Robotics Technology Consortium (RTC) is a non-profit, industry organization formed in 2008 to speed the creation and deployment of ground robotics technology for the Defense Department and other Government organizations. Administered by the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), the consortium was established to meet a need identified by the Office of the Secretary of Defense Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (OSD/JGRE) and currently has a membership of over 200 large and small commercial companies, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations. The RTC seeks to solicit and engage companies and organizations that may not have historically performed work for the Defense Department and other Government organizations in addition to traditional defense contractors.For more information, visit http://www.roboticstechc.org/

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This is an exclusive opportunity for NCMS members to display technologies for managers, engineers, and artisans at the Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East Maintenance Center in Cherry Point, North Carolina. The first day of the event will be for technology displays followed by a day of follow-up meetings with FRC personnel on potential applications.

FRC East is currently interested in the following technologies:

• Cleaning
• Data Collection Management
• Non-Destructive Inspection
• Dimensional Measurement
• Stripping/Coating Removal
• Coating/Plating Technologies
• Direct Digital Manufacturing
• Surface Finishing
• Analysis
• Composites

For more information please contact:

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

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Register Now!

Early Bird Discount ends 2 MAR, Room Block ends 3 MAR

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March 30 – 31, 2010 Nashville, Tennessee   Register Now and Save Early Bird (before 2/15): $650 Full price (after 2/15): $750   Agenda Hotel Information A block of rooms has been reserved at the Gaylord Opryland Resort for the special rate of $155/night. Call 615-883-2211 to make your reservations, and mention that you are part of the 2010 AMT/NCMS Tech Forum. Hotel cut-off date is February 19.   ***************   Questions? Contact  Sheila Kaplan, 703-827-5274 or skaplan@AMTonline.org ************** NOTE: Early Bird Ends 2/15 “Caterpillar relies on advanced manufacturing technology to maintain industry leadership. The challenge is to develop technology and processes that produce less waste and require less energy to operate. We need advances in high efficiency machine tools and welding technology. And we need to work together to develop global processes that reduce cost and drive sustainability.”                                      — Jim Reeb, Director                                                      Caterpillar Production System The technology advances that Caterpillar needs are the kinds also needed by other big corporations around the world. These are the opportunities that could be key to your company’s future business growth. Come learn about these opportunities first-hand at the 2010 AMT/NCMS Manufacturing Technology Forum, March 30-31 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn. Sustainability, Efficiency, and More In addition to learning about the latest R&D in the industry, the Manufacturing Technology Forum is also an outstanding opportunity to network with your p eers. You can gain perspective from their points of view, and discuss the business challenges you face — and solutions to those challenges.   Don’t wait. Register today!

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Early registration is now available for the 11th Annual Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities (CTMA) Working Symposium being held March 22-24 in Quantico, Virginia

The Symposium will include briefs from each of the armed services on their process for determining maintenance requirements, as well as project briefs from Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored programs involving sustainment.

This event offers the unique opportunity to network with technology providers and DoD personnel while displaying technology.

For more information please contact:

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

The post 2010 CTMA Symposium “Sustaining Technology Through the 21st Century…and Beyond,” March 22-24, 2010 appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Please plan to participate in our third technology showcase to be held April 28-29, 2010.

This is an exclusive opportunity for NCMS members to display technologies for managers, engineers, and artisans at the Fleet Readiness Center East Maintenance Center in Cherry Point, North Carolina.  The first day of the event will be for technology displays followed by a day of follow-up meetings with FRC personnel on potential applications.

For additional information please contact:

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

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Please plan to participate in our third technology showcase to be held April 28-29, 2010.  This is a chance to bring your technologies to the attention of the managers, engineers, and artisans at the Fleet Readiness Center East maintenance center in Cherry Point, North Carolina.

For additional information please contact:

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

The post Technology Showcase- Fleet Readiness Center East (Cherry Point, NC) appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

This invocation was delivered at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Laser Coating Removal System for Composite Helicopter Rotor Blades production unit deployment at Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East.

LORD, Your creation makes it clear,

That You’re the Master Engineer,

The universe and single cell,

Reveal your handiwork quite well,

In grandest scope and fine detail,

By Your design, Your grace won’t fail.

A laser guided stripper prayer,

I’m sure is something rather rare,

But rare is not how you display,

Your engineering heart today,

As you have crafted every soul,

Once joined with You to be made whole.

Eternal Father, strong to save,

It was to humankind you gave,

Imagination and a will,

To craft from dreams and boundless skill,

The means to give manned flight its birth,

And then to break the bonds of earth.

This ribbon cutting marks the day,

We institute a better way,

To break the bonds of paint to blade,

Repairing helos that we’ve made,

That these birds might return to fight,

To win our wars with flawless flight.

With 53s to lead the charge,

Our celebration should be large,

H-60s and V-22s,

Will soon be making their own news,

May this great system not be beat,

‘Till Your peace makes it obsolete. Amen.

Carl P. Koch

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

The post Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Invocation from the Fleet Readiness Center East (Cherry Point) appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

The NCMS-CTMA project, Laser Coating Removal of Composite Helicopter Blades, successfully installed a production-ready paint stripping unit at Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East. The ribbon-cutting ceremony included remarks by RDML Tim Matthews COMFRC, Col.Scott Loch (Commander FRC East), CAPT Stephen E. Iwanowicz (Commander, NUWC Division Keyport) as well as remarks from maintainers from the paint stripping shop. Following the ceremony, attendees took a tour of the FRC East facilities.

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!!

The 2010 AMT/NCMS Manufacturing Technology Forum will highlight new initiatives addressing “Green in Manufacturing”.  Guest speakers will discuss what is going on, what is needed and what you can expect in meeting new manufacturing requirements.  As in the past, you will also be provided presentations on R&D activities occurring throughout the world.

Don't miss this informative Forum!

AMT/NCMS Manufacturing Technology Forum

Energy & Innovation

March 30-31, 2010

Nashville, Tennessee

If you have any questions, please contact Sheila Kaplan at (703) 827-5274 or skaplan@AMTonline.org.

The post SAVE THE DATE- AMT/NCMS Manufacturing Technology Forum March 30-31, 2010. appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Location: The Clubs at Quantico, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia.

Expect to learn about the services technological needs, discuss the new technology roadmap now under development, and to review current CTMA project efforts in addition to tabletop displays and extensive networking opportunities. Stay tuned for more information.

For more information please contact:

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

The post SAVE THE DATE- CTMA Symposium “Achieve Technology Collaboration” March 22-25, 2010. appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

NCMS made arrangements with the Department of Defense (DoD) for this technology showcase at the Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD). This unique opportunity to present innovative technology solutions and meet directly with maintenance personnel was available to NCMS members and invited guests.

Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) is the largest, full-service electronics maintenance facility in DoD and employs over 5,700 workers.  TYAD’s mission is total sustainment, including design, manufacture, repair and overhaul of hundreds of electronic systems that include satellite terminals, radio and radar systems, telephones, electro-optics, night vision and anti-intrusion devices, airborne surveillance equipment, navigational instruments, electronic warfare and guidance and control systems for tactical missiles.

The post Tobyhanna Army Depot Technology Showcase Report appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

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

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

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

The post NCMS Promotes Member Technology at 2009 Department of Defense Maintenance Symposium and Exhibition appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

NCMS has made arrangements with the Department of Defense (DoD) to sponsor a technology showcase at the Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD). This unique opportunity to present innovative technology solutions and meet directly with maintenance personnel is only available to NCMS members.

Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) is the largest, full-service electronics maintenance facility in DoD and employs over 5700 workers.. TYAD’s mission is total sustainment, including design, manufacture, repair and overhaul of hundreds of electronic systems that include satellite terminals, radio and radar systems, telephones, electro-optics, night vision and anti-intrusion devices, airborne surveillance equipment, navigational instruments, electronic warfare and guidance and control systems for tactical missiles.

The displays will be strategically located in Maintenance Building 1C offering the opportunity for Army personnel to visit with the various companies throughout the day. The event will conclude with a networking reception for depot personnel and participants.

Technology Showcase Web Site

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

The post NCMS Member Event- Technology Showcase October 14, 2009 appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

NCMS recently held an exclusive technology event at the Barstow Marine Corp Logistics Base.  A dozen NCMS member companies displayed project technology throughout the base for maintenance personnel.  Maintenance Center Commander Colonel Dale Johnson III was pleased with the technology innovations highlighted during the event.

Project technologies on display included:

• Electrical Wire Integrity System (EWIS), a wiring technology quickly detects and locates wiring defects on a variety of cable and wire types.  EWIS has been recognized with Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award, which honors outstanding team performance to promote systematic process improvement and helps publicize best practices throughout the Air Force and the 2006 Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award which recognizes outstanding cooperative efforts on technology development between government, industry and academia.
• Kinetic Spray Metal Deposition a process which helps prevent corrosion and repair vehicle components.  This project won a 2007 Defense Manufacturing Excellence Award.
• Centralized Fleet Automated Management System (CFAMS) which reduces industrial vehicle maintenance costs, improving fleet mission readiness, increasing material handling productivity and the consequential velocity of critical warfighter supplies, and improving worker safety.
• Handheld Fluid Analyzer a portable, hand-held analytical tools which provides a lab-quality assessment suitable for real-time in-field use, to help implement condition based maintenance on a wide variety of vehicles.

In addition to Barstow maintainers, Department of Defense personnel from the Albany Marine Corp Logistics Base (MCLB), The Tobyhanna Army Depot, The Defense Contract Management Analysis (DMCA) Industrial Analysis Center, and Office of the Secretary of Defense participated.

The post Barstow Technology Showcase Report appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

National R&D Consortium Roadmaps Automotive Supplier to Diversification and Growth

June 30, 2009. The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) and Koops, Inc. welcomed Second District Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) to Koops world headquarters in Holland, Michigan today to celebrate the successful commercialization of a revolutionary new laser stripping technology created in collaboration with NCMS. This new technology has expanded the Koops business, allowing the firm to grow in a time when many Michigan companies are downsizing.

“NCMS roadmapping services helped Koops create a strategic vision for growth and diversification. During the roadmapping process, we identified competencies and opportunities in the defense and aerospace sectors; opportunities that Koops is now actively exploring. It allowed the company to expand beyond its roots,” said Rick Jarman, President & CEO of NCMS. “Koops can now commercialize an incredible new technology, diversify its capabilities, and add more jobs in Michigan.”

Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) and Rick Jarman NCMS President & CEO

Congressman Hoekstra, a longtime advocate of growth and diversification of Michigan businesses to improve employment and stabilize the economy, views the success of Koops as an example to be replicated throughout the State. Diversifying the industrial base of Michigan has the potential to help the State survive the current automaker crisis and generate employment and revenue that will lead to true economic recovery.

The technology, a robotic laser stripping system, is capable of stripping paint from a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter blade in less than two hours – a time savings of 75% over hand-sanding. The laser system is so precise that it can remove only the top layers of paint, leaving the primer layer intact and not damaging the blade substrate. “When it was done by hand, technicians wore hazmat suits, worked in sweltering heat with toxic stripping chemicals,” said Mike Gnam, NCMS Project Manager. “Even a small mistake could result in irreparable damage to a $110,000 helicopter blade. This elegant laser system removes that risk. It’s going to save the Department of Defense about 80% in blade refurbishing costs, not to mention the huge time savings. And for Koops, it represents a valuable market opportunity, since the technology has far, far more potential uses than just taking the paint off helicopter blades.”

“It means more equipment available to our warfighters, which has a positive impact on National Security,” said Wesley Koops, founder of Koops, Inc. “On the home front, our participation in this project allowed us to add a strategic new product to our portfolio. NCMS managed the project and provided the strategic roadmapping we needed to move out of our traditional role of automotive supplier. Thanks to this project, we’ve been able to build our knowledge base, develop additional complimentary technologies, and add jobs as the business grows.”

For more information, contact Phil Callihan, NCMS Executive Director of Communications, at (734) 995-2046 or email philc@ncms.org.

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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

The post Free Webinar C3A Conference: September 28-30, 2009: New Orleans, LA appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

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

The post 2-for-1 Offer C3A Conference: September 28-30, 2009: New Orleans, LA appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Can you calculate the carbon footprint of your operations?  Do you know how to squeeze out waste using lean principles?  NCMS is making its training programs in sustainability and lean product design available to members and defense facilities.  

For more information, contact Paul Chalmer at NCMS, paulc@ncms.org or (734) 995-4911, or Mike Gnam, mikeg@ncms.org or (734) 995-4971.

The post Lean and Green for Defense Maintenance Facilities appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

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Exclusive NCMS Member Opportunity: Technology Showcase

Barstow Marine Corps Logistics Base/Barstow, California- Wednesday, June 24, 2009

NCMS is holding an exclusive technology event for its member at the Barstow Marine Corp Logistics Base.

The Technology Showcase will feature table top displays highlighting CTMA project technologies located throughout the base to maximize access for military personnel.

A networking reception will immediately follow the Technology Showcase to promote further discussion between Marine Corps personnel and participants.

Please contact Debbie Lilu at debral@ncms.org (734) 995-7038 for additional information.

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Navy, Capt Tim Matthews, Command Officer, Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE), discussed challenges  of technology transition faced by his command

Projects meeting the immediate needs of the warfighter were highlighted, including the award winning NCMS/CTMA Enhanced Wiring Integrity System (EWIS) project.

A number of future challenges and capabilities were also identified.

While funding technology transition from legacy to state-of-the art technology is vital to the long term viability of organic depots there is  a  coherent strategy for doing so.

The post NCMS-CTMA 2009 Recap- Navy, Capt Tim Matthews, Command Officer, Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Dr. Katherine Stevens, Director Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL, delivered an overview of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).  The AFRL’s mission is to lead the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force.

To this end, the AFRL manages the following technology transition paths to support the warfighter:

• Industy
• Direct Transition
• Product Centers and depots
• Commercialization

AFRL manages a portfolio of technology sustainment projects to support current and future warfighters.

Right support at the Right time for the Right reasons- R3

The post NCMS-CTMA 2009 Recap- Dr. Katherine Stevens, Director Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, AFRL appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

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Col Dale Johnson, Commander, Maintenance Center Barstow, discussed the mission of Marine Logistics command is to provide integrated supply chain distribution and management to support Marine units in the field while maximizing their readiness and sustainability.

With a focus on the warfighter, the logistics command is committed to finding the best integrated solutions. 

This commitment poses many technology transition challenges:

• Misalignment of Acquisition and Sustainment
• Stove Piped Technology Development
• Business Process not Central to Development
• Integrated Logistics Support Elements
• Total Life Cycle Management
• Acquisition Policy and Bureaucracy
• Workforce Entrenched in old Technology/Processes

Logistics command meets these challenges by using a business focused holistic approach to material, people, money, and information.

The following NCMS projects- Automated Process & Inspection Guide (AP & IG) and Centralized Fleet Automated Management System (CFAMS), were cited as helping logistics command fulfill its mission.

The post NCMS-CTMA 2009 Recap- Col Dale Johnson, Commander, Maintenance Center Barstow appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Colonel  Ron Alberto, Logistics Corps Commander, Tobyhanna Army Depot  provided an overview of the capabilities and systems at the depot including repair and overhaul, manufacturing, engineering and systems integration.  Tobyhanna Army Depot is investing in their future and the focus on maintenance technology and the continued insertion of new technology at the depot. 
 
He also highlighted  current NCMS projects  such as Automated Process and Inspection Guide (AP&IG).  This project eliminates a manual paper inspection process and replaces it with mobile data capture devices combined with a COTS software that guides the inspector through the inspection.  It will impact the inspection process on four levels (1) Process, (2) Personnel, (3) Management and (4) Analysis.

Another CTMA project that Tobyhanna is participating on is Inspection and Repair Preparation Cell that will develop a new machine to inspect and repair composite parts. 

He also mentioned the Centralized Fleet Automated Management System (CFAMS) that monitors material handling equipment using RFID technology. 

The post NCMS-CTMA 2009 Recap- Colonel Ron Alberto, Logistics Corps Commander, Tobyhanna Army Depot appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Dr. Raj Iyer, Director, Data Management/ TACOM LCMC Data Czar spoke on the Logistics Modernization Program.

The TACOM Logistics Modernization Program (LMP) integrates product data from the top floor to the shop floor.  The LMP enterprise model is the largest ERP system in the world and manages the supply and acquisition of resources across the entire DOD.  LMP is a TACOM transformation initiative not simply an ERP software deployment.

• LMP is just the first (big) stepping stone on a longer journey
• TACOM is working towards adopting commercial best practices and solutions
• Data will be created once and re-used multiple times through the enterprise 
   

The post NCMS-CTMA 2009 Recap- Dr. Raj Iyer, TACOM LCMC Data Czar Director, Product Data & Data Management, TACOM Lifecycle Management Command appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

The post NCMS-CTMA 2009 Recap- MajGen Scott G. West, Commanding General U.S. Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

John B. Johns Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Maintenance addressed the challenges faced by the Department of Defense (DOD) maintenance community.

• Assets worth over $350B
• Annual maintence budget of over $85B
• Maintained by 650,000 DoD military and civilian personnel
  and thousands of private sector companies

The maintainers must perform their duties while in support of demanding missions, in harsh environments all the time under pressure to increase cycle times and increase systems availability. 

He also identified tech insertion challenges faced by the maintenance community:

• Leadership and ownership
• Building advocacy and partnerships
• Defining and prioritizing requirements
• Identifying technology alternatives
• Developing an executable plan
• Acquiring resources
• Executing according to plan
• Sharing best practices and lessons learned

The NCMS CTMA program helps the DOD manage these challenges.

The post NCMS-CTMA 2009 Recap- John B. Johns Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Maintenance appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

MajGen Scott G. West, Commanding General U.S. Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command  and NCMS President Rick Jarman

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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.

The post C3A- Powerful New Tools to Energize Competitiveness of Manufacturing appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

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Michigan executives urge need for energy policy during panel discussion

While Michigan and other states are enacting laws to stimulate alternative energy production, consensus among business leaders appears to be building for the creation of a national energy policy.

Full Article

The post NCMS Executive Roundtable on Sustainability In the Media 2 appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Seeking an ‘assembly line’ for alternative energy

Following the publication in September of Michigan Business Review’s 70-page supplement on alternative energy in Michigan, we’ve received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback.

It also gave me the chance to moderate a panel discussion Thursday for the Ann Arbor-based National Center for Manufacturing Sciences. The panel, which focused on the intersection of alternative energy and manufacturing, featured two utility officials, a venture capitalist, a business executive and a carbon trading proponent. Quite the mixture.

U.S. Sen Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, also shared some thoughts and observed the discussion.

Full Article

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The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) held an Executive Roundtable on the topic of Energy and Environmental Sustainability with special guest, The Honorable Debbie Stabenow, United States Senate at its headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Two panels discussed Sustainable Energy with moderator Nathan Bomey of the Michigan Business Review and Environmental Sustainability with moderator Jay Richardson, President of Sustainable Business Solutions.

Panelists Include:

1. Dr. William F. Feretti, VP – Chicago Climate Exchange
2. Maurice E.P. Gunderson, Senior Partner – CMEA Ventures
3. Jackson L. Hanson, VP, Generation Engineering & Services – CMS Energy
4. Trevor F. Lauer, VP, Retail Marketing – DTE Energy
5. Charles Newman, Founder & CEO – ReCellular, Inc.
6. Daniel Steinmetz, Manager, Product Stewardship – BASF
7. John J. Viera, Director, Sustainable Business Strategies – Ford Motor Company
8. Joseph Welch, President & CEO – ITC Holdings
9. Gabe Wing, Manager, Design for the Environment – Herman Miller, Inc.

NCMS, with its long history of bringing together innovators in industry, academia and government is seeking to initiate a more effective collaboration between these groups to create a platform for sustainable manufacturing that will have value for American manufacturers and the Nation.

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The post NCMS Hosts Executive Roundtable on Sustainability with Special Guest US Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

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.

The post Compute & Collaborate for Competitive Advantage Conference- September 28-30, 2009 appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

NCMS is nearing completion on new corporate training workshops for industry, including Lean Product Design and Sustainability, that will soon be offered to industry nationwide. These workshops will provide companies with an understanding of how to apply Lean principles to product design, and will provide an in-depth understanding of sustainability.  Companies can apply this knowledge to satisfy increasing demands for more environmentally-friendly products from consumers, retailers, and the media.

During the rollout phase, NCMS members can arrange for training sessions to be delivered at their facilities at a nominal cost. 

For details, contact Paul Chalmer, (734) 995-4911,  

The post Lean Product Design and Sustainability Workshops for NCMS Members appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

This event was held to improve the Marine Corps materiel sustainment processes by identifying common maintenance issues and exploring potential technology solutions in use/development in other military services and in commercial industry.

The workshop focused primarily on the needs of USMC Land Systems and maintenance facilities including Marine Corps Maintenance Center (Albany, Georgia) and Marine Corps Maintenance Center (Barstow, California).

The post USMC Regonal Workshop- Quantico Photos appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Limited seats are still available for this event that brings together leading commercial companies and the Department of Defense (DoD) Maintenance & Repair facilities to work on common manufacturing issues.

Plenary session speakers:

Alan Estevez, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Supply Chain Integration) within the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Logistics and Materiel Readiness)

Major General James Pillsbury, Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Army Materiel Command- Sustainment Needs/Challenges Maintaining Army Weapon Systems

Rear Admiral Mark Hugel, Deputy Commander, Logistics, Maintenance and Industrial Operations Naval Sea Systems, U.S. Navy- Naval Sea Systems Perspective

Robert Ernst, Chairman, Joint Council on Aging Aircraft- A Model for Successful Technology Transition

Additional event information:

A table top reception will be held the evening of Tuesday, April 8th that will display new technologies along with award winning CTMA projects. A number of companies will be participating. Reserve your table now!!!!!!!!

A multitude of CTMA projects will be presented that will focus on Operations, Data Management and Readiness/Reliability during the track sessions on Tuesday, April 8th and Wednesday, April 9th.

Brainstorming workshops will be conducted on April 9th. This brainstorming session will focus on identifying future CTMA projects that will further develop new technologies to maintain the readiness of our weapon systems and ultimately protect our warfighters!!!

The post 2008 CTMA Symposium Update appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Who Should Attend:

• DoD Maintainers, Logisticians, and Program Managers

• Industry – Defense OEMs, Manufacturing and Technology Provider

Benefits:

• Networking between DoD and industry to identify areas of common

  issues/needs and strategies for solutions

• Industry – gain knowledge of DoD sustainment issues

Preliminary Agenda

• Plenary session with key military to identify critical problems

• Breakout sessions to review emerging and active projects

• Brainstorm workshop to identify new projects

• Table top displays of new technologies

For more information please contact:

Dr. Chuck Ryan, Vice-President for Technology at (734) 995-4905, chuckr@ncms.org

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Location:  Lake Buena Vista, Florida

Last chance to save $100 on registration and to reserve your hotel room at the special AMT rate!

The early bird rate ends this Monday, January 28.

Are you aware of your customers’ future needs? We’ve got you covered. Dana M. Komin, Director – CCRW – Common & Advanced Systems at General Motors Corporation will provide an overview of future assembly and manufacturing capability needs at GM.

Expect lively discussions at this year’s forum on timely topics:

• Manufacturing in the Internet Age
• Intelligent High Performance Machining
• Knowledge Driven Manufacturing Systems
• MTConnect – Overview and Implementation
• Innovative Technologies in Optics, Micro Positioners, Composites, Precision Spindles
• New Technology Developments in the U.S., China, Europe, and Japan
• And more…

The 2008 AMT/NCMS Manufacturing Technology Forum is a joint conference with the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) focusing on technical needs and research and development (R&D) activities occurring throughout the world. Attendees are from AMT and NCMS membership, end user communities, research laboratories, and academia.

The post 2008 AMT-NCMS Technology Forum March 5-7, 2008 appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

Location:  Quantico, Virginia

The Marine Corps Base Quantico will be co-hosting a combined workshop with the Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities (CTMA) and the Joint Technologies Exchange Group (JTEG). The theme for this workshop is “Land Systems Sustainment Technology”. This workshop is intended to bring together DoD’s maintenance/logistics/technologist communities and technology providers within industry. Briefs will include technology needs to improve the performance of Marine Corps maintenance and repair processes. The workshop will be held at The Clubs at Quantico on the Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA on 26-27 February 2008.

The workshop keynote speaker will be Col.William E. Taylor, Program Executive Officer Land Systems, United States Marine Corps. The plenary session will also include speakers on USMC NAVAIR Overview, Depot Maintenance & Technology Needs, Marine Corps Logistics Command, Albany GA. and an OSD overview on Sustaining Materiel Readiness.

CTMA is a collaborative effort between the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS), its member companies, and the Department of Defense (DoD) to demonstrate, integrate and transition emerging technologies into DoD maintenance facilities through a cost share. The Joint Group on Depot Maintenance (JG-DM) established the JTEG to improve the coordination among DoD depot maintenance activities for the support of new and emerging technologies, and continuous process improvement (CPI) initiatives used to improve the capability and efficiency of the depot maintenance community.

For additional information please contact:

NCMS- Debbie Lilu, 734-995-7038, debral@ncms.org or

JTEG- Steve Siens, 937-656-2774 / DSN986-2774, steve.siens@wpafb.af.mil

The post USMC Regional Workshop- February 26-27, 2008 appeared first on National Center for Manufacturing Sciences.

United States Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) met with NCMS President Rick Jarman today at NCMS headquarters to explore new avenues of collaboration that would benefit Michigan manufacturers. Included in the discussions was the American Manufacturing Initiative (AMI) which will establish a plan to get the manufacturing sector back on track. The Senator recognizes that many of NCMS’ programs are key to achieving that goal.

The AMI brings together government, private industry and academia in a robust partnership aimed at turning around the manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy. NCMS, with its 20 year track record of collaboration, is an important part of revitalizing our domestic manufacturing industry.

NCMS and its member companies look forward to working with Senator Levin to create an economic environment where American manufacturers will continue to innovate and create jobs for the future.

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