Engaging Tomorrow’s Maintenance Enterprise Challenges Today
NCMS attended the 2017 DoD Maintenance Symposium, a high-level annual event that brings together DoD decision-makers and industry players at the forefront of maintenance technologies. This is a major venue for all parties including NCMS’ CTMA program because it is a vital bridge between commercial technology providers, the government, and military stakeholders who need their technology solutions.
NCMS took advantage of this important opportunity to showcase the diverse capabilities of its members and partners. NCMS hosted representatives and technology demonstrations from six NCMS member companies in its booth:
- Analatom: Corrosion health management detector sensors
- Automated Precision, Inc.: Non-destructive inspection, rapid and agile 3D scanner
- Benchmark Electronics: High-value asset tracking
- Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence: Coordinate and portable measuring machines
- Spectro Scientific: Expeditionary fluid analysis
- Universal Synaptics: Intermittent fault detection and isolation systems
These companies represent a cross-section of the NCMS member base. They demonstrated a diverse array of solutions including metrology, sensors, fluid analysis, and avionics fault detection. Because of NCMS’ close working relationship with the DoD and the ODASD’s Maintenance Policy & Programs Office, the booth was visited by several high-ranking officials and JTEG principals.
Produced by SAE International, the symposium is the only maintenance-related DoD approved and sponsored public event. It meets departmental guidelines for attendance by all Military Services, agencies, and industries. The 2017 topic, Maintaining
the Joint Force Competitive Advantage through Innovative, Agile, and Adaptive Capabilities, was reflected in exhibits and presentations related to modernizing and enhancing facilities, public-private partnerships, software sustainment challenges, and solutions and many more.
Approximately 1,600 participants from across the breadth of industry, academia, and government attended to network and share best practices for growing their businesses. Exhibitors ranged from large, multi-national companies, such as NCMS members, Lockheed Martin, and Siemens, to sole-proprietor companies offering specialized, groundbreaking technologies.
The symposium included two competitions: the final round of the Maintenance Innovation Challenge (MIC) and the Defense Maintenance Competition. The MIC pitted six organizations and the maintenance-related technologies they developed against each other for an overall award and a People’s Choice Award. Congratulations to NCMS member, Spectro Scientific, for reaching the finals, presenting their Expeditionary Hydraulic Fluid Analysis technology. Groups from NAVAIR and the U.S. Air Force 412th Test Wing Maintenance Group ultimately won the overall and People’s Choice awards, respectively.
Along with the MIC, for the first time ever, the symposium was the site of the Defense Maintenance Competition, hosted by the Aerospace Maintenance Council, which tested the aircraft maintenance abilities of ten teams of three from the military and local colleges.
Plan now to join NCMS at the 2018 DoD Maintenance Symposium, being held December 17-20 in Tampa, FL. NCMS will once again host a technology demonstration booth for our members and partners to come together, share relevant solutions to technology needs, and discuss critical issues for maintenance and sustainment.