An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Programs Fiscal Year 1993 (1994) / Chapter Skim
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5 MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING LABORATORY
5 MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING LABORATORY
Pages 65-86
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From page 65... ...
In fulfillment of its mission, the MEL conducts active programs of research in the areas of highprecision dimensional measurement; sensing and measurement of force, sounds, vibration, and surface finish characteristics; application of advanced control and sensing techniques to fin December 1993, the panel's chair accepted the position of director of the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory; however, the chairman was not aware that he was under consideration for director before he submitted his panelts report to the Board and had no opportunity to revise the report subsequent to NIST's notification of interest.
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From page 66... ...
Organization and Structure The Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory is subdivided into five divisions -- the Precision Engineering Division, Automated Production Technology Division, Robot Systems Division, Factory Automation Systems Division, and Fabrication Technology Division -- (Figure 5.1~. The laboratory also supports two offices -- the Automated Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF)
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From page 67... ...
MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING LABORATORY I Precision II Automated || Robot || Factory | | Fabrication Engineering Production Systems Automation Technology Division l | Technology | Division || Systems | Division l I Division ~1l Division ~ Dimensional Acoustics, Performance Production Support Metrology Mass, and Measures Management Activities Vibration Systems Machine Metrology Micrometrology Micro electronics Dimensional Metrology Surface and Particle Metrology Ultrasonic Standards Sensor Systems Sensor Integration Force Intelligent Controls Systems Integration Sensory Intelligence Unmanned Systems Product Data Engineering Machine Intelligence Integrated Systems Main Shop Special Shops FIGURE 5.1 Organization and structure of the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory.
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From page 68... ...
· "The Molecular Measuring Machine of the Precision Engineering Division is a vital demonstration of future metrology technology, and the highest priority must be given to providing critical personnel and funding support." The Precision Engineering Division, which has almost onethird of the laboratory's congressionally appropriated money, continues to place almost 28 percent of that resource into nanometer-scale metrology. Progress on the molecular measuring machine has been slower than hoped for and, in fact, has attracted the attention of NIST upper management, but the primary cause of deadline slippage has not been a lack of resources or effort but the technical difficulty of the endeavor.
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From page 69... ...
· "The Automated Production Technology Division, which is currently engaged in a wide range of activities, needs to focus on the development of basic standards." The Automated Production Technology Division and the Precision Engineering Division have been deeply involved in an internal control review of calibration services. This study made clear the lack of any serious deficiencies in this part of the standards program.
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From page 70... ...
The division performs research and provides services in electron, light, or mechanical microscopy; optical interferometry, holography, and scattering; machine tool metrology; coordinate measuring machines; and various fabrication and inspection techniques that improve product quality and yield. The Precision Engineering Division provides industry with systems and standard reference materials (SRMs)
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From page 71... ...
issued recently by the Microelectronics Dimensional Metrology Group completes the current series of Jinewidth standards for certifications using optical microscopes. The group also developed a method using transmission scanning electron microscopy to calibrate linewidths of x-ray masks, used this technique to calibrate several experimental x-ray masks, and completed an interlaboratory study of a prototype, lithographically defined scanning electron microscope magnification standard that showed a clear need for such a standard.
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From page 72... ...
Automated Production Technology Division Mission and Organization The Automated Production Technology Division develops and maintains competence in the integration of machine tools and robots and develops the interfaces and networks necessary to combine robots and machines in workstations and manufacturing cells; develops and maintains computer-assisted techniques for generation of computer codes necessary for robot-controlled machine tools; develops and maintains competence in the processes and techniques necessary for precision manufacturing; maintains competence in the measurement of mass; develops engineering measurement methodology and sensors; maintains a service in static and dynamic force and force-related quantities; and provides services as needed by the discrete-parts industry, including the development, characterization, and calibration of transducers.
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From page 73... ...
Such a small percentage of core funding diverts the division's talent from research and development to soliciting and managing OA funding and tends to defocus the division's effort. Robot Systems Div Mission and Organization ~ a 1slon The Robot Systems Division develops and maintains competence in robotics, real-time sensory-interactive control technology, robot programming languages and standards, and advanced robotic systems; conducts research into new techniques of vision and other sensing, sensory data processing, uses and storage of knowledge, databases, communications, world models, robot programming languages and techniques, and interactive graphics for program development and diagnostics; applies artificial intelligence techniques to real-time sensory-interactive control technology for industrial, military, space, and construction applications; performs research on experimental hardware and software and develops measures of system performance for a wide variety of robot applications; performs computer-integratedmanufacturing systems research; and performs technical activities relating to standards for robotic systems.
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From page 74... ...
The division's objectives are to perform research and development in advanced manufacturing systems and networking; assist industry in implementing voluntary consensus standards relevant to flexible computer-integrated manufacturing; conduct research to identify and overcome technical barriers to the successful and costeffective operation of advanced manufacturing systems; facilitate industry efforts to develop and test new applications of advanced manufacturing systems; and provide mechanisms for the exchange of information about advanced manufacturing systems and networking. Strategy and Tactics The vision of the Factory Automation Systems Division is that future manufacturing will be imbedded in an information infrastructure that supports a "virtual enterprise." Independent enterprises will be integrated by an information network into an effective system.
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From page 75... ...
· The federal Advanced Manufacturing Technology initiative identifies "integrated tools for product, process, and enterprise design" as a key thrust. The federal HPCC initiative stresses information infrastructure technology, with an emphasis on systems integration for manufacturing applications.
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From page 76... ...
The Machine Intelligence Group's R&D is in metal powder production, apparel product data exchange, inspection software performance testing, inspection methods, and increasingly, controlling mechanical tolerances. Resources The Factory Automation Systems Division's funding for fiscal year 1993 included $5.0 million in OA contracts (Computer Aided Logistics Support, Advanced Research Projects Agency, Navy Mantech Program)
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From page 77... ...
The goal of the manufacturing systems integration work, which began in fiscal year 1990, is to develop a reference architecture for discrete machined parts that incorporates an integrated production planning and control environment, and to establish a testbed for production management architectures that integrate process planning, production planning, and shop floor control. Accomplishments from this project include a production management model, a manufacturing systems integration architecture, and a control interface specification for controllers.
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From page 78... ...
· An intelligent computer-integrated manufacturing monitoring and trouble-shooting tool (Intellimon) is being developed as a software tool that can be used by an operator at a centralized location to track the exchange of data between computer-integrated manufacturing applications, help the operator to maintain a reliable networking environment, and diagnose problems within the networking environment.
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From page 79... ...
· The networking and testbed efforts described in the Factory Automation Systems Division's strategic plan seem to be an incredibly important component of the future mission that should be emphasized more in the operational plans and program activity. Fabrication Technology Division Mission The mission of the Fabrication Technology Division is to design, fabricate, repair, and modify precision apparatus, instrumentation, components thereof, and specimens as necessary for NIST's experimental research and development.
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From page 80... ...
The division works with other MEL divisions to transfer appropriate technology from the Automated Manufacturing Research Facility to the Fabrication Technology Division shop floor. The fabrication shop has 51 staff members, 46 of whom are technicians/craftsmen.
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From page 81... ...
In addition to serving as a catalyst and focal point for formal long-range planning activities within the MEL in the future, the office will also coordinate MEL's response to external planning efforts, such as the recent federal Advanced Manufacturing Technology initiative. To support these functions, the office will undertake and manage planning studies to address long-term research and development opportunities in selected technology areas.
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From page 82... ...
Progress Reported by Office of Industrial Relations The National Initiative for Product Data Exchange was approved in 1991 by an executive committee of corporate vice presidents and high-level government officials of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Commerce. The primary objectives of this industry-led, government-facilitated national plan are to accelerate and coordinate product data exchange activities (research, standards development, and deployment of product data exchange systems)
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From page 83... ...
· The Automated Production Technology Division should develop a more vigorous strategic plan; project coordinated efforts in research, development, and technology transfer; and develop road maps, milestones, and benchmarking for all division activities rather than for only specific areas, as appears to be the present case. · The National Machining Tool Partnership, initiated in February 1993 as a 2-man-year Automated Production Technology Division effort, should be vigorously pursued in cooperation with the Department of Energy and other federal agencies, private industry, and state-supported technical programs.
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From page 84... ...
Careful consideration should be given to utilizing the capabilities of the Automated Manufacturing Research Facility. · The Fabrication Technology Division's performance measures should be more statistically based and should be chosen so that they facilitate benchmark comparisons with other shops and laboratories.
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From page 85... ...
The AMRF Program Office is encouraged to define a new theme and a clear role for the AMRF as a national showcase for new manufacturing capabilities. · The Automated Manufacturing Research Facility should undertake additional collaboration with the Fabrication Technology Division to develop novel fabrication processes and ways of transferring technology.
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