The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) describes itself as a cross-industry consortium dedicated to improving the competitiveness of the U.S. industrial base. The organization leverages industry, government, and academic partners to develop technologies and enable companies to work together on new opportunities.
The organization recently launched the Advanced Manufacturing, Materials, and Processes (AMMP) Center and Consortium in partnership with the U.S. Army Research Lab. AMMP will focus on fostering new technologies designed to help U.S. manufacturers undertake large-scale additive manufacturing projects. Cosima N. Boswell-Koller is a senior project manager at the NCMS, and she recently sat down to discuss this new initiative.
Jeff Reinke: How does the work done by NCMS help U.S. manufacturers stay competitive?
Cosima N. Boswell-Koller: The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences has long-established relationships, a stellar reputation, and credibility among manufacturers of all sizes, which allows us to connect companies with innovative technologies to end users and develop solutions to meet their requirements. Coupled with our collaborative power to partner small R&D companies with top-tier OEMs, the results are innovations and opportunities to develop, refine, and provide user-centric solutions and ensure U.S. manufacturers stay at the forefront of global competition.
Additionally, NCMS is in a unique leadership position to identify key innovation and commercialization topics and organize them into strategic initiatives. As a membership organization, NCMS brings together the right people to identify, evaluate, and solve a problem. Currently, our strategic initiatives represent:
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Additive Manufacturing/3D Printing
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Advanced Materials/Composites
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Cyber Security
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Digital Manufacturing
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Robotics/Autonomous Vehicles
JR: How do the technologies researched and developed by NCMS impact Industry 4.0 initiatives?
CBK: Specifically, two of NCMS’ strategic initiatives are focused in cybersecurity and digital manufacturing. NCMS is dedicated to helping manufacturers develop robust systems which ensure uninterrupted production. In response to new and complex cybersecurity demands, NCMS is helping manufacturers become better equipped to address the new world dynamic with world-class information assurance, knowledge, and services.
Digital manufacturing is a key innovation which will drive North American manufacturing competitiveness. NCMS excels at bringing together the three drivers of successful innovation: talent, investment, and infrastructure. We break down barriers to entry and provide the tools manufacturers need to remain competitive in the increasingly digital and global economy.
JR: Additive manufacturing is getting more attention for its ability to produce production-grade products. Can you describe some of your efforts in that area?
CBK: NCMS has been involved in the additive manufacturing space for some time now. Our longest running industry collaboration, through which we have facilitated discussions, networking, and collaborations, is focused in this space and has enabled numerous individual projects funded through the Department of Defense. Clearly, this technology is a game-changer and while development is ongoing, focusing on and providing leadership for the technology development, adoption, and implementation is why NCMS considers this a key strategic initiative.
As such, we are very excited about our newest effort currently underway. NCMS is proud to work with the U. S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the Advanced Manufacturing, Materials, and Processes (AMMP) program to advance and enable additive manufacturing to create next-generation manufacturing breakthroughs. AMMP will respond to requirements for affordable, complex parts that currently cannot be readily built.
This program will facilitate next-generation breakthroughs focused on decreased costs, increased speed and point-of-need production. The AMMP program is uniquely positioned to have a large impact on the industry, as projects will range from basic research all the way through advanced prototyping.
JR: Industrial technologies are bleeding-edge in nature. What can the industry do to help promote this level of technological application in helping address skills gap concerns?
CBK: At NCMS, we understand that workforce development (WFD) is of utmost importance to ensure U.S. manufacturing dominance. To address this very important component, we rely on our collaborations with universities and other 501(c)(3)s specializing in WFD to guarantee knowledge transfer to junior personnel and the workforce as a whole. We also provide onsite training through our partnership with Pendaran Inc. and online training through our partnership with Tooling U – SME.
JR: If you could provide every U.S. manufacturing facility with one thing – what would it be?
CBK: Ideally, we would provide each U.S. manufacturing facility with the ability to think outside their own toolbox and the freedom to collaborate with cross-industry partners to strengthen their portfolio.
Image Credit: Advanced Manufacturing, Materials, and Processes (AMMP) Center and Consortium