1. Smart Assembly Systems
Objectives and Agenda
Bob Tilove
Technical Fellow, Manufacturing Systems Research Laboratory, General Motors R&D
Visiting Scientist, Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, NIST

2. SAFETY PROTOCOL

3. “Intelligence” in Agile Mfg Systems
Mechanical Systems, Sensors, Controls
Adaptive, automated, autonomous
“Intelligent” robotics, adaptive process control, etc.
People Systems and Decision Making
“Agility” in context of unanticipated change. Reconfigurable.
“Virtual” Product/Process design and validation
Diagnostics and prognostics
Enterprise analytics
When we think about what makes assembly systems “smart” or “intelligent” – there are two aspects.
One is “how can we make mechanical systems --- like tooling and equipment smarter, or more adaptive, or more intelligent”
At leas as important as that is ..“what can we do to improve effectiveness/quality of PEOPLE in tasks and decision making” …

4. What is “Smart Assembly”?
Virtual Factory
“Intelligent/Agile Equipment”
Eg: Cooperative Robots
“e-Enabled”
Optimized Real-time
Manufacturing
Eg: Predictive Maintenance
“Math-enabled”
Virtual Product/Process
Design and Validation
Eg. Virtual Launch
The left side of this figure shows the “Intelligent/agile mechanical systems” perspective…
The right side shows some of the elements of the human tasks and decision making …
We can talk about “smart assembly” from either perspective … but also we can think about what happens as these two worlds start to come together??
Is it Real?
Or is it Virtual?
Or is it a Hybrid?

5. What If These Worlds Merged?
How could we leverage “virtual” capabilities in the plant?
“Virtual Build” Reviews
Line Balancing
Human Factors/Ergo
Operation and Job Element Descriptions
Process Planning
Product and Mfg Engineering
“This is a very nice fly-through that you have shown me. When will I be able to use this on the plant floor to improve my operations?”
(Paraphrased from GM Plant Manager)
Virtual Training
Operator/team leader led workplace optimization

6. What If These Worlds Merged?
How could we leverage “real time data” capabilities in engineering?
Layout
Specifications
Equipment Design
Performance
“Observed State”
Asset Tracking
“I can’t re-use 3-D layouts because they are obsolete soon after the equipment is installed” (Paraphrased from GM Layout Engineer)

7. What If These Worlds Merged?
Or, maybe even…
This one is “real”
Workcell Simulation
This one is “virtual”

8. Smart Assembly Space e-Mfg Virtual Agile Smart Assembly
e-Manufacturing:
Real-time Optimized Manufacturing
(“m” & “M”)
Virtual
Virtual Mfg Eng. & Validation: Math Tools & Processes
Agile
Smart Assembly
Flexible Mfg System Infrastructure: Hardware Tools& Processes

9. Purpose Of Workshop
To develop a (broad industry/academic) vision and to define the state of the art and needs in “Smart Assembly.”
“Smart Assembly” refers to a next generation capability in assembly systems and technologies which integrate “virtual” and “real-time” methods in order to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity, lead-time, and agility for the design, engineering, validation, construction, installation, launch and operation of assembly processes and systems.

10. Scope (suggested…) In scope:
Assembly processes and systems: putting parts/components together to make a product.
Mfg Engineering and Mfg Operations activities: mfg process planning, design, engineering, validation, construction, installation, launch and operation of assembly processes and systems.
Out of scope (despite importance!)
Product design and modeling for assembly
“Big M” manufacturing: enterprise analytics, supply chain, etc

11. Agenda – October 3
1:00 Welcome: Dale Hall, Director, Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory, NIST
1:10 Workshop Objectives, Format and Agenda: Bob Tilove, Technical Fellow GMR&D and NIST Visiting Scientist)
1:30 Plenary Session
What are some of the problems that you are facing that “smart assembly” might help to address? What are some examples of future scenarios enabled by smart assembly?
1:30-2:00 Bryan Dods, Senior Manager, Advanced Manufacturing Research & Development; The Boeing Company
2:00-2:20 Thomas Babin, Fellow of Technical Staff, Motorola
2:20-2:45 Roland Menassa, Laboratory Group Manager,
Agile Equipment and Processes, GM R&D Center
What are the tough research problems (related to the design, engineering, validation, construction, installation, launch, and operation of assembly processes and systems) that must be solved to make “smart assembly” a reality?
2:45-3:15 Jack Hu, Professor of Mechanical Engineering,
University of Michigan
3:15 Coffee Break

12. The plenary speakers have one view … we want to hear from everyone!!
Agenda – October 3
3:40 Plenary Session - continued
What are the tough implementation problems (infrastructure, standards) that must be solved to make “smart assembly” a reality?
3:40-4:10 Charlie Gifford, Director Lean Production Management,
GE/Fanuc Automation
4:10-4:40 Mitch Vaughn, Chief Technology Officer, Production Management, UGS
4:40-5:10 Bob Brown, CEO Advisor, DELMIA Corp
What are the most promising models and opportunities for leveraging and collaboration to accelerate the development and implementation of “smart assembly”?
5:10–5:40 Jim Caie, VP of Consulting, ARC Advisory Group
5:40 Wrap up and collection of Break-out Session Preferences – Bob Tilove
6:00 Shuttle Bus to Hotel
6:30 Reception, Hilton (Courtesy of USCAR)
The plenary speakers have one view … we want to hear from everyone!!

13. Agenda – October 4 8:30 Coffee
9:00 Kickoff Breakout Sessions (Richard Neal)
9:15 Breakout Sessions and Working Lunch
Session 1: End User Perspective
Session 2: Research Science Perspective
Session 3: Infrastructure/Standards Perspective
Session 4: Systems Integration and Deployment Perspective
Pick up lunch between 11:30 – 12:00
2:00 Reports from Breakout Sessions
3:40 Wrap up – Dale Hall, Bob Tilove
4:00 Adjourn

14. Break-out Section Preference Form
You will find a form like this in your packet. Please complete it and return it to a facilitator before you leave today!!
Breakout Sessions
And Focus Questions
Preference
1 = First Choice
2 = Second Choice
3 = Third Choice
4= Fourth Choice
(please rank all 4)
End User Perspective – This group will explore what needs to be done and why from the applications view.
Research Science Perspective – From the standpoint of R&D, where are the missing links? What technology voids hinder realization of smart assembly?
Infrastructure and Standards Perspective – What foundational tools are required to realize smart assembly? What standards are needed to enable interoperability and cost effectiveness?
Systems Integration and Deployment – This group will explore pathways to successful development of smart assembly systems and broad deployment of those systems

15. Participants (Attendee List in Packet)

16. Special Thanks To ..
For hosting, organizing, ….
For reception