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IALR February 2025 Newsletter

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Andrew Williams of IALR’s CMA Participates in Leadership Training Series

Andrew Williams of IALR’s CMA Participates in Leadership Training Series

Andrew Williams, Process Engineer for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA), at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), is enhancing his leadership skills through an exclusive Six Course Leadership Training Series. The series, which focuses on equipping manufacturing professionals with the skills to drive growth and innovation, is offered by GENEDGE in partnership with Danville Community College and the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce.

GENEDGE is a leader in improving productivity, growth, and innovation for Virginia’s manufacturing sector. As a Virginia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center, GENEDGE supports businesses with programs designed to deliver scale and competitive advantage.

“I’m looking forward to gaining new leadership tools to help me better support the CMA and our partners in the manufacturing industry. This training will be a great asset in driving our mission forward.” – Andrew Williams, CMA Process Engineer, IALR

Williams’ role at the CMA includes serving as quality manager and supporting engineering, subtractive manufacturing and metrology efforts. His work ensures compliance with ISO 9001:2015, supporting the CMA’s overall excellence. As part of the IALR campus, the CMA empowers industry to integrate emerging technology into their manufacturing processes with a focus on optimization and advancement. The CMA is part of IALR’s Manufacturing Advancement division, which focuses on workforce development and optimization. 

Before joining IALR, Williams was a project engineer at a precision tooling company, managing key accounts and developing tooling designs.

Kevin Thompson, CMA Operations Manager at IALR and Williams’ supervisor, praised Williams’ initiative: “Andrew’s participation in this program highlights his commitment to personal growth and our team’s success. His dedication to continuous improvement is exactly what we need to drive innovation at the CMA.”

Bert Eades, GENEDGE Business Services Director, will teach the six-course series, which will cover essential leadership topics, including communication, coaching, goal setting and conflict resolution. The sessions from September to November are designed to enhance operational efficiency, team dynamics, and leadership within the manufacturing sector.

As Virginia’s hub for high-performance manufacturing optimization and advancement, the CMA at IALR equips manufacturers to be globally competitive. The CMA empowers industry to seamlessly integrate emerging technology into their manufacturing processes, boosting efficiency, effectiveness and profitability while maximizing ROI.

IALR’s Center for Manufacturing Advancement Earns ISO 9001:2015 Certification

IALR’s Center for Manufacturing Advancement Earns ISO 9001:2015 Certification

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) announces that its Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA) has achieved the prestigious ISO 9001:2015 certification. This globally recognized certification demonstrates the CMA’s commitment to maintaining operational integrity and delivering high-quality processes and outcomes for clients and partners.

The ISO 9001:2015 certification helps organizations of all sizes and sectors to improve their performance, meet customer expectations and demonstrate their commitment to quality.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab inside the CMA provides first-rate process optimization and reliable testing services for manufacturers around the world.

“Achieving this level of ISO certification is a significant milestone for the CMA. It reflects our commitment to quality and reliability and assures our clients and partners that we are constantly improving and aligning with international standards.” – Jason Wells, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

The International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, brings global experts together to agree on the best way to do things—for anything from making a product to managing a process. The ISO 9001:2015 certification establishes an effective quality management system, enabling organizations to improve efficiency, ensure product consistency and meet the highest standards of customer satisfaction.

The CMA equips companies to increase global competitiveness through cutting-edge technology, industry expertise and state-of-the-art facilities. The ISO certification reinforces the CMA’s mission of helping manufacturers deploy emerging technologies and advanced solutions with precision and efficiency.

The CMA features a state-of-the-art metrology lab equipped with one of the largest Coordinate Measuring Machines on the East Coast.

“Obtaining this certification demonstrates that we are serious about meeting the needs of our clients and partners efficiently and consistently, allowing them to thrive in a competitive global market.” – Kevin Thompson, CMA Operations Manager, IALR

The ISO certification increases the reliability of service provided by two labs housed inside the CMA that provide critical services to industry. The CNC Machining Innovation Lab enables manufacturers to evaluate their processes, develop improvements and incorporate efficiencies without disrupting current operations. The fully equipped Metrology Lab provides integrated inspection capabilities that allow manufacturers to validate quality and accurately and affordably measure and certify products. Though not part of the scope of the ISO certification, the CMA’s Industry 4.0 Integration Lab also plays a pivotal role in supporting manufacturers as they transition to digital strategies, integrate automation and advance to the next stage of their growth cycle.

Featuring elite equipment, innovative technology and a staff of talented machinists, the CNC Machining Innovation Lab enables new and existing businesses to evaluate their processes, develop improvements and incorporate efficiencies without disrupting current operations.

Through a collaborative approach, the CMA partners with advanced manufacturing companies to optimize their operations, adopt new technologies and enhance processes—all while minimizing disruption and maximizing return on investment (ROI).

For manufacturers relocating to the U.S. or expanding in Southern Virginia, the CMA offers a seamless experience with immediate access to expertise, technology and workforce development programs. Located adjacent to the Navy’s National Training Center, the CMA benefits from proximity to the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program, further enhancing its capabilities to drive innovation and growth. The CMA also houses the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation through applied research, advanced learning, manufacturing advancement, conference center services and economic development efforts. IALR’s primary footprint focuses within Southern Virginia, including the counties of Patrick, Henry, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Halifax and Mecklenburg, along with the cities of Martinsville and Danville. The Center for Manufacturing Advancement is part of IALR’s campus and service offerings. 

Jason Wells Joins IALR as Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Advancement

Jason Wells Joins IALR as Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Advancement

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) is pleased to announce that Jason Wells will join the leadership team as Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Advancement, effective June 3. Wells most recently served as President of Kyocera SGS Tech Hub, a manufacturing and research hub within the cutting tool division of Kyocera Corporation, and brings nearly 30 years of experience in high-performance manufacturing. He will provide executive-level strategic management and oversight of IALR’s growing Manufacturing Advancement division and will report directly to IALR President Telly D. Tucker.

“As the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research continues to expand into a leading hub for high-value, high-tech companies and growing, targeted industries like advanced manufacturing, placing globally minded and accomplished leadership at the helm is critical. I am excited to welcome Jason Wells to IALR and have full confidence that his comprehensive industry expertise and proven commitment to the community will position us well to serve the manufacturing optimization, technology and workforce training needs of advanced manufacturers.” – Telly Tucker, IALR President 

One of Wells’ key charges will be to oversee the operation and strategic direction of the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA), which offers manufacturing optimization expertise in CNC machining, metrology services and Industry 4.0; all of which help manufacturers introduce new and emerging technology into their operations. The CMA is also home to the United States Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence.

Wells will also have responsibility for the oversight of additional training programs including the collaborative and innovative Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program, a federal initiative of the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense to meet the critical workforce needs for skilled trades like welding, CNC machining, quality control inspection (metrology), non-destructive testing and additive manufacturing. The program, housed and led by IALR, will achieve full capacity in 2025, graduating 800 to 1,000 work-ready individuals annually.

Prior to his leadership role at Kyocera SGS Tech Hub, Wells amassed significant management and advanced manufacturing experience in an array of roles with leading companies. Some of his more recent posts include Director of U.S. Tech Center Operations at YG-1 America Inc., a global manufacturer of high-quality cutting tools, and Global Product Manager and Director of Product Development and Marketing for SGS Tool Company. Wells acted as primary inventor on six product patents recognized in several countries, and he established two U.S.-based divisions and manufacturing units for two different internationally headquartered manufacturing companies. Wells has authored a number of articles in leading trade periodicals and was selected as one of the 100 people to meet in Virginia in 2020 by Virginia Business magazine. He has also been a featured speaker and panel member at multiple lectures at industry-based events and symposiums.

“As a business leader with a unique connection to Southern Virginia and IALR, I am deeply honored to assume the role of Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Advancement, and I sincerely thank all of my outstanding mentors, colleagues and partners for their support throughout my career. My journey of the past eight years, engaging with the community, the schools and IALR has filled me with profound appreciation for the task ahead. I am motivated and inspired by the vision and mission set forth, to nurture the next generation of industrial talent, implement the evolution of technology, fuel the renaissance of the region, and support our nation’s defenses. I embrace this opportunity wholeheartedly, committed to contributing to a brighter future for all.” – Jason Wells, IALR Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Advancement 

A degreed Journeyman Tool Maker and Tool Application Engineer, Wells holds various industry-recognized certifications. He has also served on a variety of local, state and international boards and councils, including the Great Opportunities in Technology and Engineering Careers (GO TEC®) advisory board, the industry technology advisory council for Danville Community College as well as the boards of the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and the United Way of Danville-Pittsylvania County.

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research serves Virginia as a regional catalyst for economic transformation through applied research, advanced learning, manufacturing advancement, conference center services and economic development efforts. IALR’s major footprint focuses within Southern Virginia, including the counties of Patrick, Henry, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Halifax and Mecklenburg along with the cities of Martinsville and Danville. 

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Robotic Simulation Software Training Hosted at CMA

Robotic Simulation Software Training Hosted at CMA

The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) hosted a three-day robotic simulation class on April 16-18, providing regional community college and high school instructors with needed training for FANUC ROBOGUIDE simulation software. This was the first external training opportunity provided in the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA).

A total of 15 instructors participated in the three-day course, which was taught by Butch Kendrick, IALR’s Director of Digital Manufacturing, at the CMA and sponsored by Amtek Company – the FANUC educational representative for Virginia and several other southern states.

“This workshop helped these instructors understand the possibilities and capabilities of this software and how to better integrate that knowledge into their courses. We are happy to utilize the CMA as a hub for technical training and information for industry and educators alike.” – Butch Kendrick, Director of Digital Manufacturing, IALR

Participants came from a variety of educational institutions, including Patrick & Henry Community College, New River Community College, the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, the Pittsylvania County Career and Technical Center and a technical college in West Virginia. The hands-on, three-day workshop allowed participants to learn the operations and functionality of the FANUC ROBOGUIDE software. Fanuc is a leading supplier of robotics and automation solutions for industry.

This workshop was designed specifically for teachers working to obtain their FANUC Certified Robot Operator I certification.

“We wanted to hold a local class for our teachers in Virginia and West Virginia to highlight how to use the ROBOGUIDE software, prepping them for the certification exam and helping them better teach this program in their classrooms.” – Gary Daniels, Sales Consultant Amtek Company

Percy Pass, Instructor of the Automation and Robotics Course at the Pittsylvania County Career and Technical Center, has 10 of these robots in his classroom, and this training will help him and his students have a better experience working with them.

“This will allow the students to become familiar with the controls and overall operations of the robot, both the physical version and the simulator.” – Percy Pass, Instructor, Pittsylvania County Career and Technical Center

While no future workshops are currently on the schedule, staff in the CMA plan to offer additional training opportunities and operational workshops on the operation of different robots.

Housed on the campus of IALR, the CMA serves as the destination of choice for innovative manufacturers ready to optimize their operations and scale. The CMA features an Industry 4.0 Integration Lab focused on automation and robotics, a CNC Machining Innovation Lab that helps businesses to evaluate processes and incorporate efficiencies, and a Metrology Lab with integrated inspection capabilities required to validate product quality. The CMA is also home to the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence.

Tour of IALR – Manufacturing Advancement

Tour of IALR – Manufacturing Advancement

Join us for a free guided group tour of the manufacturing workforce development programs and industry solutions on the campus of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR). Discover our impact and explore our innovative training facilities and cutting-edge optimization and support services. Our Manufacturing Advancement division focuses on meeting and exceeding the optimization and workforce needs of new and existing industry.

This one-hour tour will include a brief overview of IALR before a deep dive into the focus areas of our Manufacturing Advancement division. Participants will see:

  • The Center for Manufacturing Advancement, which allows advanced manufacturing companies to collaborate and enhance processes, improve quality, and more.
  • Several labs from the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program, which quickly trains qualified candidates in essential manufacturing skills and trades that will help the United States Navy build submarines.
  • The Naval Aviation School for Additive Manufacturing (NASAM), a new, six-week program that provides active-duty Navy sailors and marines with foundational skills in additive manufacturing
  • The Gene Haas Center for Integrated Machining, which houses both CNC Teacher Training for high school and community college instructors and the Integrated Machining Technology program – a third-year program that takes advanced machining skills training and knowledge to the next level.

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Inside IALR Podcast: CNC Machining Innovation Lab

Inside IALR Podcast: CNC Machining Innovation Lab

The “Inside IALR” team showcases the CNC Innovation Lab inside the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA) with CMA Operations Manager Kevin Thompson and CNC Technologist Jeremiah Williams. This episode highlights how the 5,791-square-foot CNC Machining Innovation Lab enables new and existing businesses to evaluate their processes, build out improvements and incorporate efficiencies without disrupting current operations. This space empowers manufacturers to increase global competitiveness (02:44). They discuss the role of CNC machining (04:18) and its primary role within the manufacturing industry (06:06). The equipment and processes (08:27) are the main attraction for industry. Kevin and Jeremiah explain the specific services provided by the CNC Innovation Lab (14:46) and also provide a short explanation of the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) and how the CNC Lab fits into that (19:14).

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Top-Tier Metrology Equipment and Services Driven by Partnerships

Top-Tier Metrology Equipment and Services Driven by Partnerships

300,000

That’s how many points are scanned per second on the laser scanner on the Mitutoyo Crysta-Apex V163012 Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), one of the largest on the East Coast. Even a relatively small part has tens of millions of scannable points. In addition to the laser scanner, the CMM boasts a variety of unique qualification and measurement capabilities.

Equipped with the CMM and a bevy of other top-tier qualification tools and equipment, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research’s (IALR) Metrology Lab provides critical measurement and qualifications services for the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) and has the capability to provide support for private industry. Located inside the Center for Manufacturing Advancement in Southern Virginia, the Metrology Lab with NIST Certified Inspection is the result of strong partnerships. IALR owns the equipment and space, but applications engineers with Mitutoyo and Master Gage & Tool Co. operate the equipment.

“The Metrology Lab is a unique resource for local industry and a key component of the Navy’s efforts to improve additive technologies and processes. The Metrology Lab also epitomizes several core tenets of IALR, including our mission of economic transformation, commitment to partnerships and penchant for utilizing state-of-the-art technology.” – Tim Robertson, Chief Operating Officer, Manufacturing Advancement

Top-Tier Metrology Through Partnerships

Metrology, officially defined as the science of measurement, is a crucial element of any manufacturing process. In the Metrology Lab at IALR, application engineers can perform relatively simple measurements, such as physical dimensions, and highly complex qualifications of factors like shape, hardness and many other physical qualities.

The CMM inside the Metrology Lab can perform some of the most sophisticated yet critical measurement and qualification processes possible. It has a work area that can accommodate pieces as large as five feet wide, nearly 10 feet long and almost four feet tall, but the space can also be used for smaller parts. For instance, staff could place dozens of the same parts on the surface area and program the CMM to perform identical qualification tasks on each.

 

“The Mitutoyo Crysta-Apex V163012 Coordinate Measuring Machine can pretty much do any type of inspections that would be needed in the industry.” – Carlos Cabello, Applications Engineer, Mitutoyo

Every measurement the machine makes is down to the micron.

Some of the services offered by the Metrology Lab with NIST Certified Inspection include:

  • Contract inspection
  • CMM programming
  • Laser scanning
  • Automation integration
  • Reverse engineering
  • Calibration services
  • Application engineering support

Qualification and Measurement for Navy and Industry

The Navy established its Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) inside the CMA. Tasked with scaling and maturing additive technologies for the production of submarine components to bolster naval shipbuilding and repair supply chains, the AM CoE includes the Navy and nine other organizations. The AM CoE team develops new technical data packages (TDP), which are essentially comprehensive “recipes” for utilizing additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, techniques to manufacture particular components.

The Metrology Lab – as well as the CNC Machining Innovation Lab that IALR owns and operates – plays a critical role in this operation. In fact, the team in the Metrology Lab will conduct three separate inspections of every part:

  • Initial inspection after a part is 3D printed. The team will compare physical measurements to the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) model.
  • After heat treatment, the team conducts another inspection to ensure that the part holds its shape.
  • After final CNC machining work is completed, the team conducts a final inspection that involves checking every dimension.

“It’s very honorable work, and I’m very proud to be a part of this project.” – Sean Cobb, Master Gage and Tool

While the AM CoE utilizes the lab to complete numerous inspections, the partners can also use the equipment to provide services and support to industry. The CMM and other equipment allows industry in need of testing support to accurately and affordably measure and certify products.

“In order for a company to do this level of measurement and qualification, they’re going to have to make major capital investments and slow down production. We can provide those testing services in a convenient and certified way without impeding production.” – Kevin Thompson, CMA Operations Manager

The Center for Manufacturing Advancement, which houses the Navy’s AM CoE and impactful technology and resources like the Metrology Lab, is located in Danville, Virginia, on the IALR campus. Companies that are interested in partnering with IALR in the CMA by utilizing the services of the Metrology Lab, collaborating with the CNC Innovation Lab, or learning about automation in the Industry 4.0 Integration Lab should contact the IALR team.

Inside IALR Podcast: Industry 4.0: Robots, Automation and Efficiency

Inside IALR Podcast: Industry 4.0: Robots, Automation and Efficiency

What is Industry 4.0? It involves interconnected machines and data analysis capabilities, and it’s what allows three robots to utilize two CNC machines and several other tools and processes to convert a piece of raw material into a finished packaged product without any human involvement inside IALR’s Industry 4.0 Integration Lab.

The “Inside IALR” team is on location inside the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA) with Butch Kendrick, Director of Digital Manufacturing, to outline the goals and capabilities of the Industry 4.0 Integration Lab (0:33), discuss the main principles of Industry 4.0 (1:47), and explain the processes and technologies inside the lab (12:03). Butch describes some of the challenges in designing and implementing the Industry 4.0 Integration lab (17:38) and highlights additional technologies and processes that he hopes to add to the lab in the future (21:13).

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IALR January 2024 Newsletter

IALR January 2024 Newsletter

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IALR December 2023 Newsletter

IALR December 2023 Newsletter

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CNC Machining Innovation Lab to Support the U.S. Navy and Industry

CNC Machining Innovation Lab to Support the U.S. Navy and Industry

A specialized camera that shoots up to 400,000 frames per second, allowing true slow-motion views of the manufacturing process.

Cutting-edge sensors that measure factors like cutting force and harmonic vibrations.

Infrared cameras that show temperature patterns throughout an operation.

These are just a few of the specialized pieces of equipment within the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining Innovation Lab, which is housed inside the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research’s (IALR) Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA). The CNC Machining Innovation Lab also plays a crucial role in the U.S. Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE), also housed within the CMA.

Featuring state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge technology, the CNC Machining Innovation Lab will support private industry through testing services and process optimization and help the AM CoE develop world-leading additive manufacturing “recipes” for the development of parts needed by the U.S. military.

“The vision of the CNC Machining Innovation Lab is twofold. We support the AM CoE, but we also have a vision to support industry. We’re trying to develop partnerships to help industry drive innovation and productivity with increased profitability in a rapidly changing environment.” — Kevin Thompson, Operations Manager for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

Industry Innovation and Support: CNC Machining

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machining is a manufacturing process where computer-controlled machines create precise and intricate parts and components. Commonplace in industries such as aerospace, electronics and healthcare, this is a subtractive manufacturing process – meaning that an existing block or item is whittled down or shaped.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab partners with public and private manufacturers of all sizes to modernize their processes, identify and integrate emerging technologies and provide data-driven process development and optimization. Some of the capabilities include process development, process optimization, CNC programming, the integration of emerging technology, automation integration, turn-key solutions and application engineering support.

“Companies don’t have the capacity to be able to stop and try a new process. They have to find external ways of doing that, and that’s a huge role we can play. Companies can present a challenge to us and continue to produce goods while we develop a solution that suits their needs.” — Jeremiah Williams, CNC Technologist, IALR

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab boasts a broad inventory of specialized equipment, including sensors to measure factors like cutting force, slow-motion cameras to track chip formation, infrared cameras to analyze the impact of heat and much more, all with the goal of “trying to optimize processes for customers,” Thompson explains. IALR is even allowing other companies to test and utilize specialized sensors inside of the CNC Lab machines for data collection.

“Our job is not to compete with industry. Our job is to support industry.” – Kevin Thompson, Operations Manager for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

Businesses can:

  • Test various processing configurations to determine the most effective design.
  • Review and improve existing manufacturing processes without disrupting operations at existing facilities.
  • Replicate processing anomalies or other challenges in a controlled environment.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab is ISO 9001:2015 compliant, reassuring customers and partners alike that we have an internationally validated system in place to address and prevent quality issues.

The CNC Machining Innovation Lab is located across from the CMA’s state-of-the-art Metrology Lab that features one of the largest Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) on the East Coast with 3D scanning capability along with optical measurement systems, hardness and roundness testers and support equipment. Through a partnership with Mitutoyo and Master Gage & Tool, IALR offers the services of the Metrology Lab to regional businesses and partners who may not otherwise have access to such capabilities.

“The Metrology Lab is ideal for emerging or developing businesses to have access to this capability while building justification for their own capital investment.” – Kevin Thompson, Operations Manager for the Center for Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

“Everything we do at IALR involves partnerships and is driven by the needs of industry. Through the CNC Machining Innovation Lab and the Metrology Lab, IALR is simultaneously contributing to our nation’s defense and supporting current, new and prospective companies in Southern Virginia with needed services.” – Telly Tucker, IALR President

The CMA also includes a dynamic Industry 4.0 Integration Lab that serves as a demonstration site, showing manufacturing companies what is possible. Companies that are interested in partnering with IALR in the CNC Machining Innovation Lab or in the CMA should contact the IALR team.

Supporting the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence

The submarine industrial base (SIB) is a system of thousands of companies that produce parts and equipment used in the production and maintenance of submarines for the U.S. Navy. IALR has partnered with the U.S. Navy – along with many other public and private organizations – in a two-pronged approach to support the SIB, the development of new submarines, and the maintenance of the existing fleet: the federal Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program and the U.S. Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE).

ATDM increases the pool of skilled labor in areas like additive manufacturing, CNC machining, welding, metrology and non-destructive testing – trades that are needed by the SIB. On the other hand, the AM CoE is focused on implementing additive technologies and processes that will allow for more efficient development of parts. Don Hairston, General Manager of Austal USA Advanced Technologies, used the analogy of making cookies during a recent presentation at the ATDM AM CoE Summit at IALR. When making cookies and especially in manufacturing parts for the U.S. Navy, each of these variables must be accounted for and done correctly for successful production: raw materials, equipment, manufacturing know-how, post-processing and finishing and quality control.

In the simplest terms, “scaling the supply chain” is one of the primary goals of the AM CoE, Hairston explained.

The AM CoE will scale and mature additive technologies that enable innovative production of submarine components to bolster naval shipbuilding and repair supply chains. Involving nine different partners, the AM CoE will increase overall manufacturing capacity and close the supply-demand gap in critical markets like castings, forgings, fittings and fasteners.

The AM CoE team will develop new technical data packages (TDP), which are essentially comprehensive “recipes” for how to utilize additive manufacturing techniques to manufacture particular components. The workflow inside the AM CoE will typically go something like this:

  • A team from Phillips Corporation converts 2D drawings into computerized 3D models.
  • IALR will provide post-processing operations, including CNC machining, saw cutting, and processing of test samples
  • Once all the partners sign off on the approved design, the team from Phillips Corporation will print the part.
  • The team from the Metrology Lab, which is operated and staffed by applications engineers from Mitutoyo and Master Gage and Tool, will complete the initial inspection. 
  • Industrial Inspection Analysis (IIA) provides non-destructive testing at the end of the process.

As part of the Navy’s AM CoE, the CNC Machining Innovation Lab will be utilized after the initial printing of a part, verifying that the design used for additive manufacturing can successfully be machined. Simultaneously, the IALR team will also explore and implement advanced strategies that better align with today’s manufacturing equipment and methods.

“Basically, what we will do is verify that the part that has been printed can be successfully and correctly machined without any issues.” – Jeremiah Williams, CNC Technologist

Additive manufacturing, which can also be referred to as 3D printing, is a subset of manufacturing where an object is built “from the ground up” based on a 3D model. It may seem odd that a subtractive manufacturing method would play such an integral role in the Navy’s additive manufacturing operations. While 3D printing and additive manufacturing are the primary focus of the AM CoE, subtractive methods are still essential in creating and verifying any part.

“With the current technology and dimensional requirements of the parts, you can’t simply print and install a component. You’re going to have to print it and then do some final subtractive work before the part can be utilized.” – Jeremiah Williams, CNC Technologist

Once perfected and tested, the TDPs will be shared with Navy suppliers, providing them with the “recipe” they need to produce the part correctly and efficiently. As of mid-October, the AM CoE has released 28 TDPs to the companies that will be manufacturing the parts.

Partners of the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence include:

Austal USA Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) FasTech, LLC
Industrial Inspection & Analysis Institute for Advanced Learning and Research Master Gage & Tool Co.
Mitutoyo Phillips Corporation The SPECTRUM Group
“Automagic:” Robots and Automated Manufacturing

“Automagic:” Robots and Automated Manufacturing

Three robots and two large manufacturing machines communicating, collaborating and accomplishing tasks, all without human direction or involvement. Together, they take a piece of aluminum and, through several processes, convert it into a finished and packaged product.

It sounds like something out of a science fiction movie.

However, it will soon be a reality as part of the Industry 4.0 Lab in the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research’s (IALR) Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA). IALR staffers have designed and are building an autonomous manufacturing work cell where robots and manufacturing machines communicate via wireless signals. The work cell should be fully operational around December.

With the ability to tweak the process for different scenarios, this Industry 4.0 Lab will serve as a demonstration site, showing manufacturing companies what is possible. Enclosed in a glass room, the Industry 4.0 Lab will also be visible during tours of IALR.

“It’s a demonstration lab to show local industries what new technologies are out there and what might be able to benefit them,” said Butch Kendrick, Director of Digital Manufacturing IALR “We call it automagic.”

Robots and Machines Communicating, Working Together and Directing Each Other

Throughout the automated process, three robots and two different computer numerical controlled (CNC) machines will communicate with each other about the process and what each one needs from the others. All these communications – and the requests and information they share – have been pre-programmed and are managed by a software called a manufacturing execution system (MES).

With no name yet, this robot has one job: tend operations of the CNC machines using its compound gripper.

An autonomous mobile robot (AMR), Ralph consists of a mobile robotic cart and a universal robotic arm with seven joints.

Rosie completes the final inspection of finished products before packaging and preparing them for shipment.

“The actual machines are integrated with the robots,” Yeatts explained. “The machine calls when it needs to be tended by the mobile robot. The only human interaction was the programming. No one’s actually guiding the robot. The robots know the process and complete their jobs as needed.”

There will be alternative steps and workflows depending on the application, but the basic process will go something like this:

  • Under orders from the MES, the tending robot will pick up and load a piece of aluminum into the first CNC machine. With the material firmly in place, the machine will cut a shape. The robot will then take the part out of the machine and place it on a table.
  • Under a request from the tending robot, Ralph will retrieve the part and conduct pre-established inspections with engravers and scanners on the inspection island.
  • After the inspections, Ralph will drive to the CNC milling machine. Ralph will be responsible for tending the machine, putting the part inside and telling the machine to begin the operation before leaving to complete another task.
  • Once complete, Ralph will retrieve the part and take it to the coordinate measuring machine or back to the inspection table, depending on the predetermined workflow. Those that fail inspections or tests at either location would go onto a rejection conveyer belt – an event that would trigger a text or email notification to a human supervisor.
  • If it passes all relevant tests, Ralph will bring the module to Rosie – who received that name after a recent Facebook naming contest. Rosie will complete a final inspection, package the part and set it on a conveyor belt.
  • When Rosie says she has completed her task, Ralph will collect the packaged product and place it in the retrieval area.

The Challenge of an Autonomous Mobile Robot

Two primary challenges came with creating this type of integrated, automated manufacturing workflow.

How precise could the autonomous mobile robot be?

Disbelief and doubt. That is what Kendrick heard from organizations around the country while presenting the idea of an autonomous mobile robot as part of an automated manufacturing process. They said the robot would not be able to leave one post, go to another and then return to the exact same spot.

Butch Kendrick, Director of Digital Manufacturing, works with one of the robots in the Industry 4.0 Lab in the Center for Manufacturing Advancement.

Precision and repeatability are critical in these processes. The cart holding the automated robotic arm must pull up to the exact location every time. The robot arm must be able to reach the exact same spot in space repeatedly.

Kendrick and the Manufacturing Advancement team have developed a robot with extreme locational, three-dimensional precision. Prior to occupying the new CMA, they repeatedly demonstrated this concept in the Gene Haas Center for Integrated Machining, which houses the Integrated Machining Technology program. Once the AMR identifies a point in space and selects it as a reference point, it can return to almost that exact location even after traveling around the room to complete other tasks.

(The robot always came within 0.0015 inches of the point in space. That’s slightly larger than the diameter of a human hair.)

How could each of the robots and machines involved effectively communicate with each other?

What makes this workflow unique is how all the machines and robots communicate with each other through the MES in real time. Throughout the development of a single widget in this workflow, dozens of messages flow between the machines and robots. Some of the examples of messages the robots and machines share:

  • “I’m done with this process. Now you can collect this part.”
  • “The widget is positioned correctly. You can close the door and begin the operation now.”
  • “I am ready to complete another process.”

Traditionally, robots and machines that communicate with each other write files of information and put them in mutually accessible folders. This also requires extensive hardwiring and infrastructure.

“Working in the industry for 35+ years, one thing that disappointed me was working with automation. You had these two pieces of equipment that needed to exchange control information, but it was done in a very archaic way. It was done with technology used in the 1960s and 1970s. I knew there had to be a better way.” – Butch Kendrick, Director of Digital Manufacturing, IALR 

But what if that communication could happen in real time? Each machine and robot has its own language. The key to allowing real-time communication, Kendrick said, has been creating proper protocols, which function as a sort of universal language between the technology and the MES. One of the focus areas of Industry 4.0 is creating the ability for different machines to communicate wirelessly without delay, which creates flexibility and reliability.

The Impact on Southern Virginia and Beyond

The Industry 4.0 Lab fits into the overarching mission of the CMA: to serve as the destination of choice for innovative manufacturers ready to optimize their operations and scale and facilitate the expansion of the advanced manufacturing sector. But the interplay between robots, machines and manufacturing processes is just one of the appeals of the CMA. Other features include:

  • Rapid-launch high bays can provide a temporary home for companies developing their own facility, expediting operational start-up time.
  • A CNC machining innovation lab enables new and existing businesses to evaluate their processes, build out improvements and incorporate efficiencies.
  • An ISO-certified metrology lab provides the integrated inspection capabilities required to validate product quality and includes one of the largest coordinate measuring machines on the East Coast.

The CMA is positioned next to the future Regional Training Center for the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing program and other manufacturing training programs from IALR and Danville Community College. With the potential to host some classes and have students learn robotics and automation in the Industry 4.0 Lab, the CMA will also help prepare the workforce for advanced manufacturing jobs.

“Even with the rapid development of automation and technology, manufacturing jobs are not going anywhere. They are simply evolving to require more skills in areas like coding, engineering and math. Much of our focus at IALR is preparing the workforce for the future by teaching those needed skills in programs across all age and experience levels.” – Todd Yeatts, Executive Vice President, Manufacturing Advancement, IALR

The Center for Manufacturing Advancement provides state-of-the-art facility space, technology and equipment as well as leading expertise to position Southern Virginia as the destination of choice for advanced manufacturers.

Both existing manufacturers in the region looking to expand and manufacturers looking to enter Southern Virginia with a new site location are already benefiting. The United States Navy also established its Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) within the facility. The AM CoE will develop manufacturing “recipes” (technical data packages) that other organizations around the country can utilize to create parts and components. Several industrial manufacturing partners located in Southern Virginia for the first time due to the AM CoE.

“Today’s manufacturing and workforce challenges require comprehensive and innovative approaches to the way industry collaborates, along with significant investments in infrastructure, equipment and people. The CMA fosters each of these obligations in a way that will benefit the region, the Commonwealth and the country.” – IALR President Telly Tucker

These goals will remain the same in the Industry 4.0 Lab and the entire CMA, even as the equipment and processes evolve.

“I’m hoping everybody will be using this technology, this equipment and these processes five years from now,” Kendrick said. “Integrated automation and robotics will be commonplace, and our team will be looking at newer technologies and processes.”

Center for Manufacturing Advancement Opens, Welcoming U.S. Navy as First Project Partner

Center for Manufacturing Advancement Opens, Welcoming U.S. Navy as First Project Partner

$28 million center invests in manufacturing technology, industry partnerships to support Virginia’s competitive assets

The Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA), a state-funded project located on the campus of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), is open and ready to attract new businesses and jobs to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

“As we strive to make Virginia the best place for veterans to live, work and raise a family, I am thrilled to announce the groundbreaking of our new IALR Center for Manufacturing Advancement in Danville,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “This partnership will diversify, transform and grow Southern Virginia’s production capability for the Submarine Industrial Base as well, marking another major win for Virginia’s defense economy and labor market.” 

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin joined IALR and industry partners for a ribbon cutting to recognize the CMA as Virginia’s newest pro-business platform for developing manufacturing technologies that support business expansion in the region and skilled workforce development.

“The Institute of Advanced Learning and Research is a national model of an adaptive education system that delivers the skilled workforce that our business community and industries require today and for tomorrow,” said Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera.  “It shows how a locally driven, state supported and federally shared Institute can quickly meet the needs of the business community and build the advanced manufacturing pipeline.”

The 51,250-square-foot facility is a $28.8 million investment to promote collaboration among technology leaders and to provide state-of-the-art space for industry partners to optimize their operations and scale. Both existing manufacturers in the region looking to expand and manufacturers looking to enter Southern Virginia with a new site location will benefit. The CMA will help these companies improve quality and innovate technologies that aid economic and manufacturing competitiveness.

“The advancements that are to come out of the Center for Manufacturing Advancement will have significant implications for developing the processes that support manufacturing expansion, as well as the workforce needed to support that growth,” remarked Telly Tucker, President of IALR. “Today’s manufacturing and workforce challenges require comprehensive and innovative approaches to the way industry collaborates, along with significant investments in infrastructure, equipment and people. The CMA fosters each of these obligations in a way that will benefit the region, the Commonwealth, and the country.”

Funded largely by the Commonwealth of Virginia, the CMA was built in cooperation with Virginia’s Division of Engineering and Buildings with financial incentives provided by the Economic Development Administration, IALR and the IALR Foundation, and the Danville Regional Foundation. The CMA and IALR campus resides on land owned by the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority.

“The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors has strategically and successfully targeted advanced manufacturing as a major component of our economic development efforts,” said Vic Ingram, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and the Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA). “We are so excited to see the positive impact the Center for Manufacturing Advancement has on Danville and Pittsylvania County’s recruitment of new advanced manufacturing companies. I am confident this facility will greatly benefit Pittsylvania County, the City of Danville, and our entire region.”

“The opening of this center is the next big step for our city and region in our effort to become an advanced manufacturing hub and further transform the community in which we live,” said City of Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones. “By providing manufacturers with everything they need to launch and grow, the center will be an important economic development tool. It will grow the portfolio of companies that decide to call our community home, and provide new job opportunities for our citizens. We are a proud partner in this effort.”

Center for Manufacturing Advancement

The two-story CMA features:

  • rapid-launch facilities that will enable new businesses to begin limited operations off-site during what is traditionally the initial downtime as new businesses wait for their factory to be constructed and equipped to support full operations;
  • an ISO-certified inspection lab that will provide integrated inspection capabilities required to validate product quality. This service will reduce the start-up phase for a new company by 4 to 6 months, the time required to certify an inspection lab;
  • process improvement labs, including the CNC Machining Innovation Lab, that will enable new and existing businesses to improve their processes in a more expeditious manner, thereby ensuring global competitiveness;
  • an industry 4.0 integration and training lab that will support next-generation manufacturing requirements
  • a platform for collaborative innovation that allows manufacturing companies, technology companies and engineering students to work together to discover, integrate and showcase emerging technology; and
  • concierge service that provides the wrap-around support needed by companies new to the U.S. during their critical start-up phase.

“The opening of the Center for Manufacturing Advancement brings state-of-the-art technological support and increased workforce development capabilities to the economic growth efforts in Danville, Pittsylvania County, and the entire region,” said Representative Bob Good (R-Va.) 

The opening of the CMA took place during the second annual Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) Summit where stakeholders convened on topics pertaining to closing skills and workforce gaps within the naval defense industrial base. United States Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, and other defense leaders, legislators, and industry groups addressed the challenges and opportunities for building a labor pool that supports emerging technologies for supplying the nation’s shipbuilding industry.

“The Center for Advanced Manufacturing will help close critical supply chain gaps and accelerate defense manufacturing. It will enable partners to move and adapt at the speed of technology, and directly complements the ATDM program,” said Craig Crenshaw Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs. “ATDM is a great opportunity for our Veterans who are supremely suited to the culture and competencies of defense manufacturing. They provide an immediate connection to the mission.”

The United States Navy will be the first project partner locating in the CMA, selecting three of the high bays as part of a new center of excellence they announced at the ATDM Summit.

“This investment of $28.8 million is a huge win for the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research as well as Danville and Pittsylvania County. Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and IALR continues to create new opportunities for students in Southside Virginia,” said Virginia Senator Bill Stanley. “I would like to thank Governor Youngkin for his work in this project as we ensure that Southside and Southwest Virginia is the best place to live, work, and to raise a family.” 

The U.S. Navy Opens Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Danville

The U.S. Navy Opens Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Danville

Joint Navy-OSD Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing Program to Benefit from new Multi-Million-Dollar Training Facility

The U.S. Navy is launching its Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence (AM CoE) within the State of Virginia’s Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA) on the Danville Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) campus. The creation of the AM CoE marks the first project partnership for the CMA. It demonstrates the Navy’s commitment to investing in and delivering the skilled workforce necessary to strengthen and expand the Navy’s industrial base to achieve the Nation’s strategic defense objectives.

A first for the Navy, the AM CoE will provide a platform for training a skilled additive manufacturing workforce through partnership with the Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program, a rigorous, focused 24/5 training schedule that graduates student cohorts every four months in multiple disciplines critical to the defense industrial base (DIB). Industrial manufacturing partners include major shipbuilders like General Dynamics Electric Boat, Huntington-Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding, Austal USA as well as key industry experts like Phillips Corporation, Industrial Inspection and Analysis, FasTech, Mitutoyo, and Master Gage & Tool, to bring multiple processes utilized by the DIB under one roof to improve efficiencies and reduce barriers to entry for manufacturers hoping to enter additive manufacturing.

Utilizing three full bays dedicated to accelerating and scaling additive manufacturing parts and qualification processes, the AM CoE’s principal functions will be to:

  • Promote adoption of mature industrial qualification processes and data to earn technical warrant holder approval for additive manufacturing production;
  • Enable scale and speed to address material readiness challenges and critical fragilities in the castings/forgings market space;
  • Pave a path for sustainable and scalable additive manufacturing production capability in the submarine industrial base.

“Building and sustaining the Navy’s defense industrial base workforce has become a national security imperative, and the demonstration of partnership and collaboration that is represented here in Danville, Virginia today is part of the ‘Whole Government, Whole of Industry’ approach that must be in place to ensure the domestic manufacturing capacity that is required to maintain the Navy’s maritime edge, and surge to meet a dynamic threat environment,” said Matt Sermon, Executive Director, PEO Strategic Submarines.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the AM CoE was held during the second annual ATDM Summit where the U.S. Navy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and additional federal, state and local government officials joined with partners from defense industry and academia to convene topics pertaining to closing skills and workforce gaps within the naval defense industrial base.

During the ceremony, the announcement was also made that the ATDM program, which aims to provide 800-1,000 qualified candidates to fill critical vacancies in the DIB annually by 2024, will expand with the creation of a regional training facility adjacent to the CMA. The multimillion-dollar investment into over 100,000 square feet of dedicated training capability, capacity, and infrastructure will enable ATDM to rapidly scale up to its full potential and add to the economic momentum in Southern Virginia. The Danville and Pittsylvania County Regional Industrial Facility Authority provided land for the initiative.

“The launch of the AM CoE and the announcement of scale-up potential for ATDM go hand-in-hand with IALR’s approach to support the technological and workforce development needs of Industry. We are excited to leverage our new Center for Manufacturing Advancement and work with the Navy and other partners,” said Telly Tucker, President, IALR. “ATDM is one of the strongest examples of what full integration of industry in the training process looks like, by bringing key partners together to be vested in the time-to-talent process and ensuring the unique requirements of shipbuilders and suppliers are achieved quickly to meet the demands of our nation’s defenses.”

“The events we celebrate today – centered on workforce, technology, and the space where those two priorities must meet – are game changing. The scale and urgency needed in these areas is a fundamental differentiator in our Navy’s ability to preserve peace, and when necessary, compete and win,” added RADM Scott Pappano, PEO Strategic Submarines.” 

Steel in Place for $25.5M CMA Building Project

Steel in Place for $25.5M CMA Building Project

Contractor Blair Construction has worked with architect Dewberry and other partners to complete most of the steel structure of the future Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA). Pictured, ADD Equipment Inc. workers install metal roof decking while below, CRB Electrical & Mechanical workers install underground electrical conduits. The 51,250-square-foot building, a $25.5 million project undertaken in cooperation with the Commonwealth, will be a new addition to the campus of the  Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville, Va. Projected to open in 2022, the Center will feature two floors, offices, meeting spaces, rapid-launch facilities, an ISO-certified inspection lab and process improvement labs. The CMA will allow advanced manufacturing companies to collaborate and enhance processes, improve quality, integrate emerging technology and discover next-generation capabilities. It will specifically target manufacturing companies establishing or expanding their presence in Southern Virginia.