1. Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems For The Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Environment JTEG Technology Forum: Facility Maintenance 31 July 2018
Aging Aircraft Consulting
James Hill, Principal Investigator
402 AMXG/WR-ALC/AFSC
Joshua Campbell, Deputy Director 572 AMXS
SBIR DATA RIGHTS
Contract No. FA C-0025
Aging Aircraft Consulting LLC, 64 Green Street, Warner Robins, GA 31093
Expiration of SBIR Data Rights Period: 14 Oct 2024
The Government's rights to use, modify, reproduce, release, perform, display, or disclose technical data or computer software marked with this legend are restricted during the period shown as provided in paragraph (b)(4) of the Rights in Noncommercial Technical Data and Computer Software--Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program clause contained in the above identified contract. No restrictions apply after the expiration date shown above. Any reproduction of technical data, computer software, or portions thereof marked with this legend must also reproduce the markings.

2. Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights
Goal
Develop & deliver a model to adapt Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMS) to the maintenance environment at the Air Force ALCs, specifically WR-ALC
Increase manufacturing agility to product changes
Change capacity to meet demand
Responsive to changing conditions
Objectives
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Deliverables:
Strategic RMS Simulation Model for Warner Robins ALC to assist 558 AMXS planning for de-paint and paint processes and facilities over a 5 year period
Simulation scenario results
Virtual model “digital twin” of paint hanger and associated equipment
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

3. Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems Overview
Tight integration of depot manufacturing processes make them hard to modify to changing requirements, demand and product changes
Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems Overview
Projection compared to actual product demand: higher initial demand than expected for both products, and product C is introduced earlier than expected.
Three features – capacity, functionality, and cost – are what differentiate the three types of manufacturing systems — RMS, DML and FMS. While DML and FMS are usually fixed at the capacity-functionality plane, as shown in Fig. 2, RMS are not constrained by capacity or by functionality, and are capable of changing over time in response to changing market circumstances.
Adapted from:
*Yoram Koren, Moshe Shpitalni, Design of reconfigurable manufacturing systems, Journal of Manufacturing Systems, 29 (2010), pp. 130– 141
DML = Dedicated Manufacturing Line
FMS = Flexible Manufacturing Systems
RMS = Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems
Manufacturing system cost versus capacity.
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

4. Questions this Technology can Answer
When will be the best time to schedule maintenance for these facilities to optimize maintenance workflow?
How can I build a business case for making a facility reconfigurable for current or future processes or uses?
How can I plan for new facilities to be capable of handing workload or products that have not yet been identified?
How can I build a business case to build reconfigurable features into a new facility?
What benefit can robotics integrated into a facility have on maintenance processes or facility utilization?
How can I use a ”digital twin” of a facility to optimize maintenance processes and facility layouts?
Questions this Technology can Answer
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

5. Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights
WR-ALC 558 AMXS Corrosion Control Flight (CCF) Facilities
CCF at Robins AFB
Building 59P
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Building 59D
Building 50
(C-130 de-paint)
Building 54
(C-17/C-5 de-paint)
Building 89
(C-130 paint)
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

6. Phase II Technical Objectives1 2 3
Create high-fidelity simulation tool for RMS evaluation
Create a simulation optimization function
Build a Digital Twin of a facility to perform virtual reconfigurable layout analysis
Phase II Technical Objectives
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

7. Roadmap Understanding current practices & data collection
Develop high fidelity simulation model
Scenario Analysis, Validation of the scenarios through engineering knowledge
Simulation based optimization
Virtual RMS study
Delivery and training
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

8. Technical Approach Summary
Data Driven Methods
Historical Data
PDM Process Analysis
Available Resources
Engineering Knowledge
Technical Approach Summary
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Adapted to Air Force Environment & Processes
RMS Model
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

9. RMS Model Development Process
Gathering the engineering knowledge:
Processes
Available resources
Shared resources
In-house or outsourced operations
Required machines
Facility utilizations
Historical data
RMS Model Development Process
Input Analysis
Test the independence of the collected data and to estimate appropriate distributions that fit the data accurately.
Fit parametric or empirical distributions to the data
Simulation model validation
Build simulation model
Validate model business rules
Back test model output
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Scenario analysis
Define Simulation Scenarios
Evaluate Performance of Simulated Scenarios
Output Analysis
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

10. Model development & validation
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

11. Data Collection & Validation Process
Problem: Raw historical process data can be scattered across multiple data systems and is usually not in a format to allow analysis and statistical analysis. Therefore a focused process needs to be used to collect and process data to achieve defined requirements.
Determine objectives & requirements
What are we trying to predict and for what goal?
In what form do we need the output?
Identify data required to achieve objectives
What data do we need to make the prediction?
Locate & evaluate existing data
Where is that data located? In what format is the data?
Clean and transform data
Document business rules to transform data for analysis
Develop automated tools to transform data
Perform input analysis & analytics
Analyze and validate data using engineering knowledge
Data is now in a usable form!
Data Collection & Validation Process
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

12. Simulation based optimization
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
The goal of the simulation-based optimization is to find best set of controllable values that optimizes the system performance
minimizing cost
minimizing the maintenance delay and cycle
maximizing facility utilization
The active learning module performs as a filter to identify the most influential points to optimize the simulation
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

13. Virtual RMS Implementation
Create a Digital Twin of one Paint or De-Paint Facility to optimize configuration and evaluate 3D simulation processes,
Laser scan facility
3D Model area
Virtual layout
Fly throughs
Perform plant layout analysis to reduce reconfigurable switching costs and improve overall efficiency
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

14. Phase II Technical Objectives
High-fidelity simulation tool for RMS evaluation
Phase II Technical Objectives
Digital Twin – Virtual reconfigurable layout analysis
Simulation optimization function
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
New Capabilities
Strategic: Quickly run reconfigurable scenario analysis over multiple years to assess operational impact and overall throughput
Tactical: use digital twin to evaluate reconfigurable improvements & optimization
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

15. 558th AMXS Operational Objectives
Throughput Capacity
Utilization
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Desired Operational Outcomes
Increase capacity over multiple years
Take on increased workload volume
Take on new product workload
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

16. Vision for RMS Data Driven Model
A decision support tool connecting material & resource needs of AMXG, and the ALC enterprise the ability to assess tradeoffs between maintenance groups to optimize overall cost, schedule and throughput.
Vision for RMS Data Driven Model
For AMXG
Ability to reconfigure resources based on changes in demand and process optimization results
Quickly perform long term planning analysis and scenarios to enable reconfigurable benefits analysis
Tactical model for day to day decision support
For WR-ALC (enterprise view)
Ability to assess the cost tradeoffs between AMXG and CMXG workloads to optimize overall maintenance cost, schedule and throughput
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

17. Predictions & Decision Making
Prediction is the process of filling in missing information. Prediction takes information you have (“data”), and uses it to generate information you don’t have.
The RMS model is a decision support tool that lowers the cost and time required to make predictions about the future state of the manufacturing machine.
The drop in cost of prediction increases the value of complements
Data
Judgement
Action
More accurate predictions can help increase the quality of decisions.
Results of decisions can be measured and fed back into the model to increase the accuracy of future predictions
Predictions & Decision Making
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights

18. Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights
Thank you!
Input and feedback is welcome
Aging Aircraft Consulting
James Hill –
Discussion
SBIR Topic: AF
Data-Driven Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems for the AF Maintenance Environment
Aging Aircraft Consulting
Aging Aircraft Consulting | Subject to SBIR Data Rights