The FY'06 funding for the CTMA program is $10.2 million and should be available to projects early in June.  Working with the DoD review team for the projects submitted on the http://ctmaideas.ncms.org website, the following projects are currently being formed for  2006.  Other projects may also be formed based on available funds.  Project ideas are encouraged to be submitted on-line.

1. Fault and Arc Location Tester (FALT)

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=31

Wiring system failures have recently been established as the second highest safety concern for Naval Aviation.  Over $94 million per year is spent on unnecessary equipment removals due to an inability to identify and locate “no fault found” intermittent wiring problems.  This project will test and ruggedize a handheld Fault and Arc Location Tester (FALT) for aircraft (or other) wiring.  This hardware is based on spread spectrum fault location methods developed and demonstrated in the Center of Excellence for Smart Sensors at the University of Utah. This system has been demonstrated for location of both hard faults (opens or shorts) and intermittent faults (both wet and dry arcs) on realistic aircraft wiring bundles with live loads, typically to within 3-6 inches.

NCMS Contact: Lee Patch, leep@ncms.org, 734-995-4972.

2. In-Field Oil Analysis

This series of projects seeks to provide quick and accurate measurements of critical properties of fluids under field conditions.  Development of a high quality, simple –to-operate, on-site portable oil assessment equipment will empower warfighters with the ability to assess oil quality on demand and in real-time at the machineries physical location.

• OilCheckIR® In-field Oil Analysis Solution http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=45
• Handheld FluidScan for Rapid Field Assessment of Equipment Condition http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=49
• Thermal Properties of Oils Measured With A Field Portable Meter http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=50
• ViSmart™ Solid-State Viscosity Sensor  http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=51

NCMS Contacts: Lee Patch, leep@ncms.org, 734-995-4972; Debbie Lilu, debral@ncms.org, 734-995-7038.

3. Integrating Sensors and Predictive Maintenance Systems with Performance Support Technology to Achieve Increased CH-53E Readiness and Reliability

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=23

CH-53E readiness rates are declining due to the aircraft’s increasing age and high operational tempo. The CH-53 platform, which was first introduced into service in 1966, is experiencing “higher-than-expected usage rates” in Iraq and Afghanistan. This high operational tempo is exacerbating age-related problems on the CH-53E, including structural fatigue and wear and tear of the rotors.  This project will integrate CH-53E Health and Usage Management System (HUMS) technology with Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS) to provide CH-53E helicopter maintenance technicians with a seamless, end-to-end maintenance prognostic, diagnostic, and repair suite that will measurably increase the readiness and availability levels of the aircraft

NCMS Contact: Mike Gnam, mikeg@ncms.org, 734-995-4971.

4. Ultrasonic Consolidation of Titanium Alloys for High Performance Military Aircraft Damage Repair

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=36

Titanium components are used throughout airframe, armament, and propulsion systems by the US military because of their desirable properties. The high specific strength, high toughness, excellent fatigue life and outstanding corrosion resistance of such components results in more efficient and lower life-cycle cost systems. However, when these components fail prematurely, the cost and logistics impact is significant. Not only is it expensive to replace the titanium components due to the material and fabrication operations which must be incorporated to produce a finished component, but the loss of a subsystem or a system has even greater impact to systems level cost and overall military readiness.  This project will specifically demonstrate the feasibility of electric current augmented, ultrasonic consolidation of titanium for the repair of structural components made of titanium alloy Ti-6-4.

NCMS Contact: Mike Gnam, mikeg@ncms.org, 734-995-4971.

5. Laser Coating Removal for Helicopter Blades III

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=24

NADEP Cherry Point must refurbish on average, approximately 150 main rotor blades each month. Similarly, Sikorsky refurbishes approximately 80 additional blades per month within their commercial facility. To refurbish each blade, workers currently remove the topcoat (paint) from each blade manually using air-driven orbital sanders. Because these blades use lightweight fiberglass composite substrates, coatings must be removed carefully using considerable operator skill to limit damage to the fragile substrate. Damage to composite surfaces occurs frequently and results in considerable additional repair time and affects production repair throughput. With the manual sanding operations, operator comfort and safety is impacted by the difficult work environment. The process requires an extensive amount of tedious labor in a dusty, uncomfortable environment. The primary activities within the Phase III project involves the testing and final installation of the production laser stripping system for NADEP Cherry Point.

NCMS Contact: Mike Gnam, mikeg@ncms.org, 734-995-4971.

6. Rapid Manufacturing Process & Material Insertion for DOD Part Applications, RM&R Phase II

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=25

Rapid prototyping technologies are evolving quickly toward end product fabrication as a niche manufacturing methodology for low quantities (1-1000’s) and for achieving part-design features that cannot be fabricated by any other technique. RM&R Phase I demonstrated the feasibility of fabricating or casting select parts directly or indirectly using RP technologies. The challenge now is to define expedited methods in the DOD system for the introduction and approval of new fabrication processes and new material formulations for use in replacement or repair of hard-to-replace legacy parts.

NCMS Contact: Connie Philips, conniep@ncms.org

7. Direct Part Marking For High Strength Metals and Painted Over Articles

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=9

There is a need for a cost effective under-paint marking and reading methods at the depots. Many of the direct part marking method available today do not perform well under paint. Typically the marking method simply gets covered with paint. The problem is compounded because there are a limited number of cost effective solutions available and a majority of the marks get painted. There are several substrate types to mark including metal types and composites.

NCMS Contact: Steve Hale, steveh@ncms.org, 734-995-2195.

8. Gear Isotropic Finish Generation General Process Control and
   Alternate Tooth-by-Tooth Process for Large Gears

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=10

Isotropic finishing enhances flank surface fatigue resistance in driveline gears. Gear test data indicated that this finishing process can enhance gear life by 50% to 200%. This project will develop the ability to measure and quantify the peak blunting of the finishing process and verify it to be present along with the presence of the valleys from the roughing process (such as grinding or hobbing). The project will develop a functional surface finish specification for isotropic finishing that will facilitate production process control of the production isotropic finishing process toward consistent significant increased drive train life. Once a good finish specification and control methodology is established, this project will develop a means of accomplishing this same finish on a large part.

NCMS Contact: Steve Hale, steveh@ncms.org, 734-995-2195.

9. Integrated System for Reading Visible and Hidden Data Matrix Marks

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=37

To meet the challenge of managing its inventory of assets, the Department of Defense is automating its parts tracking systems to achieve total asset visibility. To achieve these goals direct part marking with machine readable codes is being required through the UID Program. Many of the Data Matrix marks will be visible while others will reside under paint. It is imperative that reading systems be developed for both situations. It would be optimum if the reading systems were attached to a single platform for sure integration and ease of use in the field. There is a need for cost effective visible and under paint reading methods at the depots. The visible method should address difficult situations, including distance reads at 20 feet and severe angles. The hidden mark reads should address sensing the mark through 6 layers of paint. The problem is that there are some stand alone solutions emerging, but they are not integrated to work together.

NCMS Contact: Steve Hale, steveh@ncms.org, 734-995-2195.

10. Assembly Design and Documentation Phase II

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=1

Phase I of this project embedded GE’s MPAD (Maintainability, Planning, Analysis and Documentation) technology in UGS’ eM-Simulate software. The integrated technologies provide the necessary algorithms to automatically create and edit an intelligent assembly and disassembly sequence and work instructions based on complex geometric shapes plus engineering requirements for assembly (lubricants, torque, etc.). This technology has been tested by GE to verify the use cases that guided implementation but has not yet been validated for production use or for the creation of weapons system’s Technical Orders (TO).  The proposed approach is to validate system capabilities and gather metrics to quantify benefits by using the system in production or near production implementations.

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

11. Legacy Lifecycle Data Management

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=3

The CTMA Life Cycle Data Management for Six Sigma Product Quality Phase I has demonstrated the capability extracting and configuration managing product requirements with granularity and associated intelligence down to a feature level from the part files of modern CAD systems. This has been demonstrated to be user friendly within an object oriented environment integrated with CAD systems. However, within DoD the majority of part data predates the use of CAD systems and is available electronically only as scanned images of 2D drawings. Furthermore, most of the data is export controlled, requiring special handling.  The PLM for Six Sigma solution is optimized for use with data created in a modern 3D modeling environment where most depot and much OEM data is in the form of 2D product drawings that sometimes predate the use of CAD systems. A solution that can extract and organize characteristic data from legacy drawings would extend the benefits already verified.

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

12. OptiCAM Phase IV

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=12

A means of rapidly reverse engineering aged or damaged parts is needed. The system should be portable, easy to use, and produce 3D solid models that can be used in downstream applications to define manufacturing processes for replacement parts.  This proposed project plans for the continuation and completion of an existing CTMA project. During its first phase, OptiCAM surpassed all planned deliverables by a wide margin and in Phase II is focused on making an ambitious vision a reality.  Combined with Cross-Service sponsorship, revolutionary digital data capture technology and industry leading COTS software, the OptiCAM team plans to complete a “Production-Ready” technology within a proven, structured, and easily accessible environment during its second phase.  It is anticipated that after next 12 months of spiral development, OptiCAM will be ready for production use at participating depots.

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

13. Casting Knowledge Re-use based Cost Advisor

http://ctmaideas.ncms.org/ideas/project_detail.asp?Project_ID=26

For most manufacturing processes, a knowledge based “Process and Cost Advisor” that can help procurement and maintenance personnel not only identify alternative cost efficient processes but also enable them to understand cost drivers and “should cost” estimates in real time based on design criteria and process selected. However, no such solution is commercially available for near net shape processes such as castings because of the complexities involved in correlating design features to manufacturing process drivers, material properties and then determining “should cost”. The proposed project will develop a prototype of a Casting Knowledge Re-Use based Cost Advisor specifically tailored for Castings in the defense aerospace sector in order to enable the Defense Procurement Agencies or maintenance depots achieve their objectives with respect to ensuring Warfighter readiness.

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