Smart Assembly: Vision and Needs Based On A NIST Workshop October 3-4, 2006

1. Smart Assembly: Vision and NeedsBased On A NIST Workshop October 3-4, 2006 Dale Hall, Director Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory National Institute of Standards and Technology

2. Outline • Why is “smart assembly” important in a flat world? • NIST workshop summary • Vision • Technology Gaps and Challenges • Relevant R&D at NIST • Proposed Path Forward

3. Manufacturing Matters! “Manufacturing is the backbone of our economy and the muscle behind our national security”– American Competitiveness Initiative, 2006 • Major source of trade revenues, accounting for nearly 2/3 of U.S. exports • High economic leverage and well-paying jobs • Major source of research and development investment and innovation “Simply put, manufacturing matters – to jobs, rising productivity and higher standards of living. Manufacturers improve our quality of life.”– Manufacturing in America, U.S. Department of Commerce, 2004

4. Manufacturing is Evolving in the “Flat World” • Network-centric • Dynamic, complex, interconnected supply chains • Information/knowledge intensive • Ability to share information accurately, inexpensively, seamlessly • Focus on core technologies and critical assets • OEMs move toward systems integration, assembly, service, marketing • Vertical integration declining as a competitive strategy • Global component part fabrication • Emerging business case for locating final assembly close to customers • Logistics, shipping costs, regulatory and policy issues, market intelligence Smart Assembly is about reinventing assembly processes to succeed in this new environment

5. Holistic Nature of Assembly Final Assembly Process Design for Assembly Virtual Simulation and Validation “Buy” versus “Build” Decisions Flawless Launches Trained Workers Knowledge Asset Management Supply Chain Management Real-time Decision Making Fast Response to Problems Maintenance Line Balancing Etc

6. Re-orientation of Manufacturing R&D • Traditional – Process focus (casting, machining, forming) • Physics-based modeling, computational mechanics/dynamics, controls, etc. • Continuous mathematics • Operations focus - “Clean”, Compartmentalized • New/Evolving Systems Approach • Systems engineering, computer science, industrial engineering, operations research, etc. • Discrete event simulation (throughput) and variation analysis (quality) • People-in-the-Loop • Integration focus - “Messy” Federal Interagency Working Group on Manufacturing R&D identified “Intelligent and Integrated Manufacturing Systems” as one of three critical areas of national need

7. Outline • Why is “smart assembly” important in a flat world? • NIST workshop summary • Technology Gaps and Challenges • Relevant R&D at NIST • Proposed Path Forward

8. Planning the Path Forward: NIST Workshop on Smart Assembly, October 2006 • Develop an initial vision for SA • Define basic needs/gaps in SA • Assess interests in establishing an industry-led SA Initiative and define the next steps

9. Workshop Participants

10. Diverse industries, similar vision and problems Common key drivers: cost, quality, throughput, flexibility, time to market

11. Outline • Why is “smart assembly” important in a flat world? • NIST workshop summary • Vision • Technology Gaps and Challenges • Relevant R&D at NIST • Proposed Path Forward

12. Smart Assembly is a Key Area for Technology Development and Deployment • Goes well beyond traditional automation/mechanization to exploit the effective collaboration of man and machine • Integrates highly skilled, multi-disciplinary work teams with self-integrating, adaptive assembly processes, equipment, and tools • Unifies virtual and real-time information to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity, lead time, agility, and quality • Requires a highly skilled and well-trained workforce • Is critical to enhance the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers

13. A Smart Assembly System Is: • Collaborative: People and automation work collaboratively in a shared environment • Re-configurable/re-programmable: Readily accommodates new product, equipment, and software • Self-integrates and self-optimizes • Model and data driven • Uses both virtual and real-time methods and inputs • Virtual model is continuously updated to match physical reality; used to enhance closed-loop control, condition monitoring, automated diagnostics • Capable of learning: Never makes the same mistake twice

14. Outline • Why is “smart assembly” important in a flat world? • NIST workshop summary • Vision • Technology Gaps and Challenges • Relevant R&D at NIST • Proposed Path Forward

15. Intelligent Flexible Assembly Processes, Equipment and Tools

16. Intelligent Flexible Assembly Processes, Equipment and Tools • Intelligent cooperative robots, sensors, effectors, controls • Software re-configurable • Eliminate “hard” safety fencing/barriers • Modular, low cost, re-usable

17. Intelligent Flexible Assembly Processes, Equipment and ToolsRelated NIST R&D • Robot Safety Standards • Non-contact sensors for situational awareness and human tracking • Perception for advanced intelligent manufacturing • Industrial Autonomous Vehicles • Robust optimization and control

18. Accurate, Easy-to-Use, Pervasive and Persistent Virtual Capability

19. Accurate, Easy-to-Use, Pervasive and Persistent Virtual Capability • Virtual Launch of Factory (Optimize, eliminate errors) • Synchronization of Virtual and Real Plant Floors • Collaborative systems engineering • Hybrid emulation of changes

20. Accurate, Easy-to-Use, Pervasive and Persistent Virtual CapabilityRelated NIST R&D • Physics-based modeling of machining • Virtual Manufacturing Environment • Simulation testbed

21. Real-time Actionable Data for Man and Machine

22. Real-time Actionable Data for Man and Machine • Wireless, web-enabled monitoring and prognostics • Reliable, safe, and secure • Decision support for optimized maintenance and fault recovery • Self-diagnosis

23. Real-time Actionable Data for Man and MachineRelated NIST R&D • Equipment monitoring and condition maintenance (machining) • Wireless and Ethernet/IP performance and interoperability • Industrial control system security (PCSRF)

24. Interoperability Challenge Integrated Information and Control Architecture, Business Processes and Standards

25. Integrated Information and Control Architecture, Business Processes and Standards • “Plug and Play” hardware and software • Interoperable systems for data exchange • Harmonized standards

26. Integrated Information and Control Architecture, Business Processes and StandardsRelated NIST R&D • Interoperability • Conformance/Performance Testing • Interfaces and data standards for next generation systems (e.g., STEP-NC, OMAC)

27. Outline • Why is “smart assembly” important in a flat world? • NIST workshop summary • Vision • Technology Gaps and Challenges • Relevant R&D at NIST • Proposed Path Forward

28. Path Forward: Logical Structure Intelligent, flexible assembly processes, equipment, tools Pervasive and persistent virtual capability Technology Roadmaps Future Automotive Aerospace Actionable real-time data Infrastructure: Standards and interoperability Use cases; Implementation/Deployment Roadmaps

29. Next Steps • Formation of Industry-led Smart Assembly Task Force • Community-of-practice model • Continue momentum from workshop • Refine vision, scope, and business case scenarios, roadmaps • Network and communicate with organizations such as ARC, NCMS, AMT, ISA, etc. • Second workshop to be held at NIST in 2007 • Explore longer term potential to create a National Smart Assembly program/initiative which may include a “Smart Assembly Testbed” at NIST to validate the interoperability and performance of smart assembly modules and systems For more information and to get involved, attend the Special Meeting on Smart Assembly at ARC Forum this afternoon, or visit smartassembly.wikispaces.com

30. Acknowledgements • Workshop Plenary speakers: • Bob Tilove, GM/NIST Guest Researcher • Bryan Dods, Boeing • Tom Babin, Motorola • Roland Menassa, GM • Mitch Vaughan, UGS • Bob Brown, Delmia • Charlie Gifford, GE Fanuc • Jim Caie, ARC • USCAR • Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems • IMTI, ARC

31. Contact Info Dale Hall Director, MEL tel: 301-975-3400 dale.hall@nist.gov Bob Tilove GM Technical Fellow and NIST Guest Researcher tel: 301-975-4345 robert.tilove@nist.gov 100 Bureau Drive Stop 8230 Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8230 www.mel.nist.gov