The primary purpose of this session is to develop an R&D agenda for collaborative NCMS projects that focus on manufacturing process controls. As R&D funding sources—both public and private—become ever more selective with their awards, R&D proposer justification requirements become proportionately more stringent. The existence of a user-driven, cross-industry research agenda can be a critical element of that justification.

Who Should Attend:

Manufacturing Process Controls technology suppliers, systems integrators, and both manufacturing process and control engineering plus operations professionals from end users with near to mid-term manufacturing control needs will find this session useful. Roadmaps also include far-term elements so academics and others engaged in basic research will find the session useful.

Session Agenda:

2:00 pm – 2:15 pm
Introduction
Tony Haynes, Program Manager, NCMS

3:15 pm – 5:00 pm
Brainstorm – Filling the Gaps
Facilitated by Tony Haynes

Objectives:

1. Review the purpose and structure of technology roadmaps,
2. Review examples of roadmap excellence,
3. Present current work in progress on a Manufacturing Controls Roadmap,
4. Brainstorm means of filling the gaps.

The ultimate objective is to rough out several project concepts that lie on the roadmap and can be developed further in collaborative applied R&D projects.

Background:

The Semiconductor Industry Association Roadmap is often held up as an outstanding example of an industry sector roadmap. Other sectors such as aluminum and forging have also created excellent industry roadmaps. The Office of Industrial Technology of the Department of Energy is encouraging other industry associations to assemble roadmaps, particularly those that relate to energy use. The manufacturing controls industry, however, has no industry association and no industry roadmap. Manufacturing controls infrastructure and tool sets remain fragmented along sector lines. Presenters in this session will provide views of two work-in-progress, cross industry controls roadmapping efforts.

Technique:

The key activity of this workshop is the interactive, facilitated brainstorming of the last hour of the session. Introductory presentations will set the stage. Ideas from those presentations should get creative juices flowing in preparation. The brainstorming session will first list attributes of the anticipated end state, ten to fifteen years out. Participants will then be asked to identify key drivers, key technologies, and intermediate goal states.

Session Contact: Tony Haynes - 734-995-4930, tonyh@ncms.org