Agenda
1300-1305: Welcome – Steve McKee (ODASD-MR) Presentation
1305-1309: Administrative Notes – Ray Langlais (ODASD-MR)
1309-1325: THz Imaging – Dr. Patric Lockhart (NUWC NP)
1325-1340: Digital Twin of Order 2 Cash (DT of O2C) Business Process – Dr. Senthil Arul (DLA R&D)
1340-1355: Digital Twin Ops & Process Intelligence – Dr. Barry Humphrey (DLA R&D)
1355-1410: Disposition Services Warehouse Simulation – Dr. Barry Humphrey (DLA R&D)
1410-1425: Adaptive Intelligence for Predictive Maintenance (AI-PM) – Dr. Brian Womack (NUWC KP)
1425-1450: Graphene and Hydrogen – (Command Strategies)
1450-1500: Wrap-Up – Steve McKee (ODASD-MR)
Minutes
Event: On 23 May April 2023, the Joint Technology Exchange Group (JTEG) hosted a virtual forum on “Emerging Technologies”.
Purpose: The purpose of this forum was to present and discuss several emerging technologies that are either being tested, or have the potential, to improve maintenance operations in support of DoD.
Welcome: Ray Langlais, ODASD (Materiel Readiness), welcomed everyone to the forum, explained the JTEG Forum series, provided a brief introduction of the significance of emerging technologies within the DoD sustainment community, and previewed the agenda.
Administrative: There were 54 people in attendance on the open forum. The presentations, along with questions and answers, were conducted through Zoom.Gov which also offered a chat capability for comments and Q&A. Each presenter provided a 10–20-minute brief of their organizations’ applicable emerging technologies. Several requests for presenter contact information and slides were received.
THz Imaging – Dr. Patric Lockhart (NUWC NP) (NAVSEA), provided a synopsis of how THz Imaging Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) inspections use electromagnetic waves to detect serviceable flaws through materials. This technology application expands the capability beyond current NDT methods/tools. THz imaging inspects through urethanes, epoxies, ceramics, composites, rubbers, paints, single-/multi- layers, and detects flaw types: de-bonds, corrosion/ pitting, voids, water intrusion, many material changes, coating thickness aberrations, and surface deformations. It reduces manpower requirement, is a less invasive inspection, and provides earlier detection.
Digital Twin of Order 2 Cash (DT of O2C) Business Process – Dr. Senthil Arul (DLA R&D) described how the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is evaluating digital twin and process mining technologies to understand how they can be deployed across the DLA enterprise. The objective is to develop a digital twin prototype of the agencies Order to Cash process using the Celonis tool, and identify patterns in payments, specific customers, or process-related issues that create process bottlenecks using the developed digital twin. Additionally, to create a roadmap for further deploying digital twin technologies across DLA to identify additional improvement opportunities across additional business functions and processes.
Digital Twin Ops & Process Intelligence – Dr. Barry Humphrey (DLA R&D) explained that DLA issued a Broad Agency Announcement that it is investing in emerging technologies to digitize technical process data, identify where processes are inefficient and where automation and other technology can be used to improve these processes and their data. The project objectives are to bring technological innovation through application of process modeling, mining, intelligence, and simulation with the use of digital process twins to drive this process improvement for the DLA.
Disposition Services Warehouse Simulation – Dr. Barry Humphrey (DLA R&D) explained how the Logistics Technology Research Program issued a Request for Information to develop a Digital Twin for Disposition Services Warehouse to look at how technology can improve warehouse operations. The objective is to develop a complete Digital Twin 3D model of Disposition Services processes for warehouse operations that will provide analytical capabilities to determine their impact of warehouse configuration, staffing models, and operational process changes.
Adaptive Intelligence for Predictive Maintenance (AI-PM) – Dr. Brian Womack (NUWC KP) discussed how the Navy is examining how to use AI-PM to help predict parts shortages for availabilities at least 1-6 months in advance; adapting to mission, ship class, manufacturer, and technology type over time; creating outcomes that summarize ship yard, supply chain, and maintenance of a ship availability unplanned work status; and providing explainable AI estimates which say why an estimate is thought to be true. Dr. Womack stated that the key to adaptive intelligence success is active summarization through the use of adaptive models which automatically adapt to context.
Graphene and Hydrogen – Toby Rodill’s team (Command Strategies/Carben) described Graphene’s potential to be used in structural, electronics, fluids, medical, and energy applications due to Graphene’s strength, lightweight, high conductivity, high transparency, and high elasticity. Carben’s solution, CarbenHex™, consists of a proprietary blend of hydrocarbon gasses and chemistry to create a unique pure graphene structure which holds unique characteristics and properties that overcome some of the challenges associated with traditional Graphene. Some of CarbenHex™ properties include scalable, low cost, fast production, material consistency, and minimal environmental impact (near zero CO2 emissions). CarbenHex™ has numerous potential applications and work with corrosion resistance, lubricants, and coolants were presented as well as several potential military applications.
Metal AM-Manifold Qualification – Bryce Weber (NUWC KP) described NUWC Keyport laser metal powder bed fusion AM qualification objectives to developed qualification procedure, process documents and test articles, which is in review at NAVSEA. They produced a complete set of test articles for qualification of metal AM machine capable of producing parts for applications with service condition severity levels 1 through 6. Bryce also discussed collaboration with PMS 390, PSU-ARL, and PNSY on qualification of a deep-sea submergence manifold produced with metal AM, and on leveraging design for AM to mitigate known printing issues, identify unknown part specific printing issues, determine orientation, plan for machining and cleanup.
Q&A – A Q&A occurred after each briefer finished their presentation.
Closing Comments: Ray Langlais thanked the panelists and participants for their attendance and all the work being done to support the development emerging technologies in support of DoD sustainment operations.
Action Items:
- Obtain copies of remaining cleared presentations once they are approved to post to a public website, and post to the JTEG website at https://jteg.ncms.org/.
Next JTEG Meeting: The next scheduled JTEG virtual forum is 27 June 2023, 1:00 – 3:00 pm EST. The topic is “Automated Test Systems”.
POC this action is Ray Langlais, rlanglais@lmi.org, (571) 633-8019