Changes in Smart Manufacturing
West Virginia University and ITAMCO are advancing smart manufacturing with a $901,486 grant awarded by the United States Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII). The project’s goal is to improve the energy efficiency of manufacturing across the United States.
Gears are a critical component industry. Thorsten Wuest, the J. Wayne and Kathy Richards Faculty Fellow and assistant professor of industrial and management systems engineering in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, believes the demand for gears in the United State alone will grow by 6.4 percent to $40 billion in sales.
Researchers from the University at Buffalo and Indiana Technology and Manufacturing Companies (ITAMCO) collaborative on this project and will develop a holistic hybrid model to predict the specific energy consumption of large-scale grinding processes.
The focal point of the project is a large-scale internal double wheel end gear that is approximately 3 feet in diameter with a processing time of over 11 hours. The gear is used in heavy mining and construction equipment.
“In manufacturing there is not much previous work available, especially not at the level we are proposing with direct industrial application through our industrial partner Indiana Technology and Manufacturing Companies (ITAMCO) and the reach of CESMII,” Wuest said.
Hybrid analytics, a relatively newer field, merges traditional, physics-based modeling with data-driven machine learning models. The proposed project will directly impact operations at ITAMCO and has the potential to reduce energy consumption by large-scale grinding by at least 15 percent.
Wuest explained that for CNC grinding systems energy accounts for about 33 percent of the overall manufacturing cost.
“Reducing the energy consumption by improving the grinding strategy based on hybrid modeling does not only reduce the environmental impact, but it also improves the company’s bottom line and further increases the competitiveness of U.S. manufactured high-tech goods on the global marketplace,” he continued.
According to Wuest, grinding has the highest rate of energy consumption of all machining processes, and this process isn’t going anywhere soon.
Leading Through Collaboration
Indiana Technology and Manufacturing Companies (ITAMCO) have long been recognized as premier advanced manufacturing and technology firms.
We collaborate with like-minded professionals from the world’s most respected companies, institutions, and universities to deliver technology, engineering, and manufacturing solutions. We are dedicated to solving complex challenges, streamlining businesses, and strengthening our customer’s bottom line.
Advancing Leadership in Smart Manufacturing
The Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII) announced more than $6 million in funding for eight projects to improve energy-intensive manufacturing processes and strengthen the U.S. manufacturing sector.
ITAMCO, West Virginia University, and the University of Buffalo will develop hybrid modeling for energy efficient grinding processes for gear manufacturing.
Read the entire press release below:
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII) announced more than $6 million for eight projects to improve energy-intensive manufacturing processes and strengthen the U.S. manufacturing sector.
CESMII is a part of Manufacturing USA, a network of regional institutes that have a specialized technology focus to increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and promote a robust and sustainable national manufacturing research and development (R&D) infrastructure. CESMII works with American companies to spur innovations in new, integrated, systematic “smart” manufacturing processes with a highly skilled manufacturing workforce and a vibrant supply chain.
The Trump Administration has identified advanced manufacturing as one of the vital industries of the future. The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s Oct. 2018 “Strategy for American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing” calls for new smart manufacturing technologies to “facilitate a digital transformation in the manufacturing sector by enabling the application of big data analytics and advanced sensing and control technologies to a host of manufacturing activities.”
“Advances in digital technologies and other forms of ‘smart manufacturing’ can improve the efficiency and competitiveness of America’s manufacturing sector,” said Alex Fitzsimmons, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency. “In partnership with industry, universities, and the National Laboratories, DOE’s investments will help position the U.S. for global leadership in the advanced manufacturing industries of the future.”
The following projects are selected for negotiations:
- Auburn University and Rayonier Advanced Materials will develop a soft sensor and predictive control for anti-foaming agent usage, wash water flow, and pulp quality in paper manufacturing using statistics pattern analysis and machine learning.
- Baxter Solutions and Purdue University will develop real-time, non-invasive, process monitoring system for pharmaceutical lyophilization (also known as freeze-drying) equipment based on a wireless network of vacuum and temperature sensors.
- Honeywell, Virginia Tech, Bodycote, and Seco-Warwick will develop new sensors, monitoring and data analytic methods and apply them to three industrially relevant thermal processes.
- Pennsylvania State University, Texas A&M University (TAMU), and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) will develop novel self-powered sensors and identify actuators needed to collect information and respond to actions for machines including legacy machines for key applications.
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and IBM will develop a modeling engine with sophisticated predictive capabilities to model a variety of manufacturing processes and demonstrate the capabilities on a critical complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor transistor manufacturing process.
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and Janssen Pharmaceuticals will develop advanced process models, sensors and data integration architecture that will be demonstrated on wet granulation, drying and milling in pharmaceutical manufacturing processes.
- UTRC, Purdue University, and the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc. will develop a simulation and testing framework to determine the feasibility of using ultrasound to mitigate dirty white spot defects in forged IN 718 turbine parts in the Vacuum Arc Remelting process.
- West Virginia University, University of Buffalo, and Indiana Technology and Manufacturing Companies (ITAMCO) will develop and test hybrid modeling for energy efficient grinding processes for gear manufacturing in collaboration with the industrial partners.
Founded in 2016, in partnership with DOE’s CESMII is the third institute funded by EERE’s . CESMII accelerates smart manufacturing adoption through the integration of advanced sensors, data analytics, platforms and controls to improve productivity, precision, performance, and energy consumption in manufacturing.
To create and sustain American leadership in advanced manufacturing, DOE is investing in new industrial technologies, materials, and processes to help bolster American manufacturing. Last month, EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office announced $187 million in new investments for high-impact manufacturing technologies, materials, and processes to strengthen the domestic manufacturing base.
Employee Highlight – Kurt Hanby
ITAMCO would like to highlight some of our valuable employees. Meet Kurt!
Kurt Hanby works in our business development department. We asked him a few questions, and we thought we’d share his answers with you.
Kurt Hanby
Business Development Manager
1. How long have you worked at ITAMCO?
6.5 years
2. What's the best thing about your job?
Building relationships with people.
3. What is your job at ITAMCO?
Sales and Customer Service
4. What is your favorite part about ITAMCO?
The people. Working alongside friends, mentors, and people that care about you.
5. What's something most people don't know about you?
I like to cook.
6. Where's your favorite place in the world?
Trossachs National Park, Scotland
7. What do you like to do when you're not at work?
Hunt, fish, and camp
8. If you could pick one superpower, what would it be?
To be in two places at once.
9. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
The Apostle Paul. To hear more about his life.
10. Coffee or Tea?
Strong coffee for sure!
Thank you Kurt! We will continue to bring you other employee spotlights throughout the year.
USS Gerald R Ford at-sea Testing
The USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78) is in the middle of at-sea testing of her Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) technology.
The Aresting gear is a mechanical system used to rapidly decelerate an aircraft as it lands on an aircraft carrier. The new AAG system, introduced in this new class of carriers, is the replacement for older hydraulic arresting gear. The more advanced system offers finer control, less maintenance, and expands capabilities to a broader range of aircraft, including UAVs. ITAMCO manufactures a critical component used in the AAG.
Advanced Arresting Gear for US Navy Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers
See the system in action Below:
Guide to Additive Manufacturing
We've already done our homework on Additive Manufacturing. Want our notes?
Additive Manufacturing is changing the way manufacturing gets done, but what is it? How does it work? What are the benefits and limitations? What industries are benefiting the most? ITAMCO answers these questions and examines how 3D printing compares to traditional manufacturing.
Check out what else ITAMCO has been doing in the Additive Manufacturing world!
Tracking Production with QuPiD
A decade ago ITAMCO was searching for a way to more efficiently monitor the production process.
How long did it take to manufacture one part? How long did each process take? Were were problems occurring? We needed a way to track these things and make production as productive and efficient as possible. Our in-house developers began creating QuPiD as a way to better track the way we manufacture.
The software is always being being updated and expanded. QuPiD now works as follows:
- Each ITAMCO employee installs QuPiD on their mobile device
- They sign into a job via QuPiD when they receive a part
- When they complete their operation of the Manufacturing Order (MO), they sign out of that job.
- The part continues to the next stage.
The most recent major release added blockchain. Data submitted to a blockchain cannot be deleted, altered, or edited, and it can always be traced back to the original transaction author. QuPiD can now immutably verify every transaction that is uploaded. This also plays a role in helping ITAMCO to adhere to the ISO9001:2015 standard.
ITAMCO Renews ISO 9001:2015 Certification
ITAMCO is proud to announce that we have renewed our ISO 9001:2015 Certification.
ISO 9001 is the most widely recognized quality management standard and helps organizations to meet the expectations and needs of their customers. ITAMCO engaged in a rigorous audit of our business processes as well as our quality environments during the ISO 9001:2015 recertification process. You can click here to see a copy of our certification.
Thank you to the entire ITAMCO team for all of your hard work and commitment to excellence.
Siemens Expands Additive Manufacturing Portfolio Through Acquisition of Atlas 3D
PLANO, Texas, Nov. 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Siemens announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Atlas 3D, Inc., a Plymouth, Indiana-based developer of software that works with direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) printers to automatically provide design engineers with the optimal print orientation and requisite support structures for additive parts in near real-time. Atlas 3D will join Siemens Digital Industries Software, where its solutions will expand additive manufacturing capabilities in the Xcelerator portfolio of software.
Sunata™ software uses thermal distortion analysis to provide a simple, automated way to optimize part build orientation and generate support structures. This approach allows the designer—rather than the analyst—to perform these simulations, thereby reducing the downstream analysis that needs to be conducted via Simcenter™ software to achieve a part that meets design requirements. Siemens plans to make the Atlas 3D solution available through its online Additive Manufacturing Network.
“We welcome Atlas 3D to the Siemens community as the newest member of our additive manufacturing team. Our solutions industrialize additive manufacturing for large enterprises, 3D printing service bureaus, design firms and CAD designers,” said Zvi Feuer, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing Engineering Software of Siemens Digital Industries Software. “The cloud-based Sunata software makes it easy for designers to determine the optimal way to 3D print parts for high quality and repeatability. The combination of Sunata with the robust CAE additive manufacturing tools in Simcenter enables a ‘right first time’ approach for industrial 3D printing.”
“Siemens is a leader in additive manufacturing, with the most integrated and functionally robust solutions in the industry, so we are excited to join the team,” said Chad Barden, Chief Executive Officer of Atlas 3D. “The power of Sunata is that it equips designers to more easily design parts that are printable, which helps companies more quickly realize the benefits of additive manufacturing. As part of Siemens, we look forward to introducing Sunata to customers who already have Siemens’ AM solutions and can achieve new efficiencies in their front-end design-for-additive process, as well as companies who have yet to start their additive manufacturing journey.”
The high rate of 3D print failures is a key challenge companies face in leveraging additive manufacturing for high-volume production. Parts often need to go through several design and analysis iterations before the optimal build orientation and support structures are determined. Typically, designers don’t have the capabilities to consider such factors as part orientation, distortion, and heat extraction uniformity in their design. This puts the onus on engineering specialists to resolve such issues.
Atlas 3D’s Sunata software solves this problem by giving front-end designers a quick, easy and automated way to get much closer to a “right first time” build. Sunata is a GPU-accelerated high-performance computing additive manufacturing software solution that can deliver results up to one hundred times faster than other build simulation solutions on the market. GPU-accelerated computing is the employment of a graphics processing unit (GPU) along with a computer processing unit (CPU) to facilitate processing-intensive operations such as deep learning, analytics and engineering applications.
The acquisition is due to close in November 2019. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Siemens Digital Industries Software is driving transformation to enable a digital enterprise where engineering, manufacturing and electronics design meet tomorrow. The Xcelerator portfolio helps companies of all sizes create and leverage digital twins that provide organizations with new insights, opportunities and levels of automation to drive innovation. For more information on Siemens Digital Industries Software products and services, visit www.sw.siemens.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Siemens Digital Industries Software – Where today meets tomorrow.
Siemens Digital Industries (DI) is an innovation leader in automation and digitalization. Closely collaborating with partners and customers, DI drives the digital transformation in the process and discrete industries. With its Digital Enterprise portfolio, DI provides companies of all sizes with an end-to-end set of products, solutions and services to integrate and digitalize the entire value chain. Optimized for the specific needs of each industry, DI’s unique portfolio supports customers to achieve greater productivity and flexibility. DI is constantly adding innovations to its portfolio to integrate cutting-edge future technologies. Siemens Digital Industries has its global headquarters in Nuremberg, Germany, and has around 76,000 employees internationally.
Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of power generation and distribution, intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems, and automation and digitalization in the process and manufacturing industries. Through the separately managed company Siemens Mobility, a leading supplier of smart mobility solutions for rail and road transport, Siemens is shaping the world market for passenger and freight services. Due to its majority stakes in the publicly listed companies Siemens Healthineers AG and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Siemens is also a world-leading supplier of medical technology and digital healthcare services as well as environmentally friendly solutions for onshore and offshore wind power generation. In fiscal 2019, which ended on September 30, 2019, Siemens generated revenue of €86.8 billion and net income of €5.6 billion. At the end of September 2019, the company had around 385,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.
Note: A list of relevant Siemens trademarks can be found here. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners.
SOURCE Siemens PLM
Related Links
http://www.siemens.com
Additive Manufacturing Needs Skilled Workers
When ITAMCO purchased its first 3D printer, Joel Neidig, Director of Research and Development at ITAMCO, saw the importance of the technology, but couldn’t answer how it was going to be used.
ITAMCO started experimenting by make one-off prototypes, then transitioned to printing temporary bracket replacements and other parts for hundreds of other machines in ITAMCO’s facilities. Further growth and development has lead to a need for advanced training and skilled workers.
Joel Neidig explains how additive manufacturing helped ITAMCO.
One immediately benefit was being able to produce parts with raw material kept in-house rather than having to order it and wait for it to arrive. It also enabled engineers and machinists to collaborate further on product design and advanced manufacturing. To further develop its additive manufacturing capabilities, ITAMCO joined the America Makes network in 2014.
Joel was a recent panelist during a discussion at America Makes’ Membership Meeting & Exchange conference Oct. 22 in Youngstown, OH for a discussion on small business challenges, skilled laborers, and ITAMCO’s commitment in additive manufacturing.
At ITAMCO, additive manufacturing has improved workforce skills and increased overall business.
“It kind of opened up a new market. We were a machine shop, so we just did mostly machining – subtractive manufacturing. But now with 3D printing and additive, we’re able to additively print the components; we hired new people because it was a new product line we could offer.”
– Joel Neidig
ITAMCO Named IMA Medium-Tier Manufacturer of the Year
The Indiana Manufacturers Association (IMA) held its 2019 Manufacturers Hall of Fame Luncheon on October 16, 2019, at the Biltwell Event Center, in Indianapolis. The IMA not only inducted Indiana companies into the Manufacturers Hall of Fame, but expanded the event with the addition of the Manufacturing Excellence Awards.
The awards honored companies or individuals in specific areas of achievement. Categories include: Large-, Medium-, and Small-Tier Manufacturer of the Year, Manufacturing Talent Champion, Emerging Leader, Community Impact, Innovation Excellence, and Lifetime Achievement.
During the event, ITAMCO was named the Indiana Manufacturing Associations Medium-Tier Manufacturer of the Year for 2019. Gary Neidig, President of ITAMCO, made the following statement on LinkedIn:
Plymouth is Indiana's Community of the Year
Plymouth’s slogan is, “Where community and possibilities connect.” Incorporating this approach has led to recognition by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and being awarded Indiana’s Community of the Year.
“In order to have successful business climate, you’ve got to have good quality of life to allow the families of the employees to really grow and thrive here in the community, and so there’s just lots of good things going on,” said Indiana chamber’s Brock Hesler.
ITAMCO is proud to be a long-standing member of the Plymouth community.
ITAMCO Wins Contract with US Air Force to Develop 3D-Printed Runway Mat
Plymouth, Indiana. May 20, 2019. ITAMCO (Indiana Technology and Manufacturing Companies) is part of a team developing a new runway mat for the United States Air Force. Runway mats are a critical component of Expeditionary Airfields (EAFs).
EAFs are portable airfields that can be constructed, used, broken down after the completion of a mission, and moved to another site for re-use. These portable airfield mats must be easy to install and store, yet capable of withstanding the stresses of repeated take-offs and landings of aircraft and the impact from arresting hooks. The portable runway surface most used today is made with an aluminum plank matting called AM-2. AM-2 matting has served the United States military well since the Vietnam War, but the materials and technology in the ITAMCO-led research project will offer many benefits over AM-2 matting.
Project Objective
The objective of the research is to develop a robust sheet or roll technology that serves as an alternative to the Vietnam War-era AM-2 mat for temporary or expeditionary flight operations. Scott Hartford, Project Manager at ITAMCO is working on the project with Professor Pablo Zavattieri in the Lyles School of Civil Engineering at Purdue University. The proposed technology solution is comprised of an upper surface that mates with a lower surface and contains Phase Transforming Cellular Matrix (PXCM) geometry to mitigate anticipated loading and shear stresses.
What is PXCM? In the simplest terms, products made with PXCM geometry have the ability to change from one stable configuration to another stable configuration and back again. According to an article by Nadia Aljabi in the Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research, the novelty and benefits of PXCM are that they can absorb important amounts of energy and yet be reusable since the phase transformation is entirely reversible without inducing permanent deformation into the base material. This means the new runway mat can “heal” itself, resulting in a much longer lifespan than a runway made with AM-2 matting.
Additional benefits of the new runway material include:
- The PXCM solution is targeted to weigh 3.5 lb. per sq. ft. or less. It can be laid by hand over a level surface of the appropriate density.
- Debris on the runway will not hamper the runway’s performance.
It will support flight operations of 5,000 landing and takeoff cycles over 60 days.
The 3D Printing of the Runway Materials
The construction of the proposed runway mat is as innovative as its use of PXCM geometry—the prototypes of the mat will be made on ITAMCO’s EOS M290 additive manufacturing printer. The 3D printing method will be a collaboration between an innovative metal powder called StainlessSteel 316L VPro and the unique additive manufacturing capabilities of the EOS M290 printer. This union between product and printer will reduce production time by 70 percent and cost by up to 50 percent.
“EOS StainlessSteel 316L VPro is a highly productive material that was born from our collaborate development effort with GKN. Applications using 316L VPro, combined with highly proven EOS metal 3D printing technologies, result in accelerated production with lower production costs,” said Patrick Boyd, Marketing Director, EOS North America. “We’re excited that ITAMCO has partnered with EOS in ITAMCO’s endeavors to create forward-thinking solutions. They are not afraid to engineer then employ extraordinary solutions where no solution previously existed.” Pushing boundaries with innovative materials and state-of-the-art printers does not guarantee build success; however, so the ITAMCO team is using Sunata™ from Atlas 3D to optimally orient and support the PXCM geometry. “The additive markets continue to evolve with new materials and unique geometries like PXCM on a near daily basis,” said Chad Barden, CEO of Atlas 3D. “If not managed properly, these new variables can lead to scrap, rework, and loss of time to market. Sunata will ensure build success and is an integral part of this project.”
The Project Partners –
ITAMCO
Since 1955, ITAMCO has provided open gearing and precision machining services to heavy-duty industries including Mining, Off-Highway Vehicles, Marine, and Aviation. In addition to the company’s offerings in traditional manufacturing, the technology team at ITAMCO has released over 65 applications for mobile devices; designed and markets iBlue, the first industrial Bluetooth transmitter; developed an award-winning Google Glass application; and launched their successful “Strategic Technology Initiative for Additive Manufacturing” in 2015. The company continues to explore alternatives to traditional processes: ITAMCO has received grants to develop PXCM-based capabilities for both the United States Army and Air Force as well as blockchain technology solutions for the United States Army and Navy. Learn more about ITAMCO at www.itamco.com or call (574) 936-2112.
Pablo Zavattieri with the Lyles School of Civil Engineering at Purdue University
Pablo Zavattieri is an associate professor at Purdue University. His contributions to industry and academia focus on the boundary between solid mechanics and materials engineering. The Lyles School of Civil Engineering, ranked among the top in the nation, generates solutions to critical global problems.
EOS
EOS is a leading technology supplier in the field of industrial 3D printing of metals and polymers. Formed in 1989, the independent company is pioneer and innovator for comprehensive solutions in additive manufacturing. Its product portfolio of EOS systems, materials, and process parameters gives customers crucial competitive advantages in product quality and the long-term economic sustainability of manufacturing processes. Furthermore, customers receive deep technical expertise in global service, applications engineering and consultancy.
Atlas 3D
Developed in 2015, Sunata™ by Atlas 3D is a cloud-based, ITAR-compliant software developed to support Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) Printers. Known as the metal additive “Easy Button,” it chooses the optimal orientation and automatically generates the necessary support structures to ensure a successful build. Currently, Sunata is used at Fortune 500 companies, the United States Department of Defense, cutting-edge manufacturers, medical devices companies, and many other.
Easing Additive Manufacturing Design
The orientation of a part on the metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) build plate is one of the most important aspects of AM builds.
Having the proper orientation optimizes support-structures, minimizes thermal distortion, can reduce finishing time, and produces an optimal part. 3D Metal Printing Magazine released a blog post highlighted part orientation in AM. Optimizing the orientation on the build plate can be difficult, and often there is no “right” orientation, only an optimized solution with tradeoffs made along the way.
ITAMCO’s subsidiary Atlas 3D has developed a solution. Their could-based software, Sunata, automatically chooses the best orientation for a part and generates the necessary support structures for a successful AM build. Read the complete article to learn more about how Sunata is revolutionizing the metal AM design process.
SIMBA Chain Releases an Enterprise Guide to Blockchain
SIMBA Chain, a subsidiary of ITAMCO, has released a guide helping enterprises and those interested in blockchain understand the technology and benefits the technology can afford.
Blockchain and smart contracts have the potential to increase the speed and efficiency of business and manufacturing. Business decisions will benefit from instantaneous tracking of supply chain, when services are rendered, or inventory levels. When handled correctly, the security built into blockchain could add a new level of trust and transparency all while addressing data protection and privacy concerns.
Why Blockchain Important for Enterprises
This ebook explores unique ways enterprise can benefit, but also challenges and considerations to overcome.
- Faster transaction times
- Reduce costs
- Improve security
- Reduce or find fraud
- Transparency
- Incentivize specific consumer behavior
- Building customer loyalty
