The ARM Institute is looking for initiatives for growing the natural industrial base and workforce. Supply: AdobeStock
The Superior Robotics in Manufacturing, or ARM, Institute issued a brand new natural industrial base know-how and workforce challenge name. The ARM Institute made this challenge name out there to its members solely, to not most of the people.
The Workplace of the Secretary of Protection (OSD) Manufacturing Expertise (ManTech) is working to assemble ideas that handle the modernization wants of the natural industrial base (OIB) community. OSD is working with the institute and different Manufacturing Innovation Institutes on this challenge.
The OIB produces and sustains present provide chains for crucial army know-how and non-consumer items. This consists of munitions, transportation autos, and different warfighter wants.
Nonetheless, gear is commonly antiquated and poorly built-in at its services. It might probably even hamper the OIB’s capacity to constantly and shortly conduct manufacturing operations.
This ARM Institute challenge name seeks to modernize these operations each by means of technical improvements and workforce options in these particular subject areas:
- Digital operations know-how
- Actual-time manufacturing sensors for robotics
- AI robotic course of planning
- In-situ high quality checks
- Lowered operator publicity
- Scale back value of operations
- Pilot line of non-traditional OIB merchandise
- Cell and enormous floor automation
ARM members can obtain detailed details about the challenge name within the ARM member group. Whitepaper submissions, step one on this Mission Name course of, are due on March 2.
The deadline for efficiency for initiatives is Oct. 1. Nonetheless, it’s doable that funding could also be out there sooner.
ARM Institute seems for outcomes, present relationships with OIB
Given the challenge name’s give attention to modernization and prototype supply, the ARM Institute stated it expects funding for chosen initiatives to exceed that of previous initiatives.
The Pittsburgh-based public-private consortium famous that any technical whitepaper submitted should suggest an idea that may end in an actual prototype that the OIB can deploy in a facility. Profitable challenge groups are most definitely to have already got relationships with or have executed work with an OIB facility, it famous.
The ARM Institute advisable that submissions embody confirmed applied sciences, with citations of profitable use instances or affect. The place doable, the institute inspired groups to submit joint technical and workforce proposals.
All initiatives have to be accompanied by a dedication from a army service or OIB web site to each sponsor a selected endeavor in addition to assist a profitable know-how transition and integration, stated the ARM Institute.
The letter of dedication have to be endorsed by the OIB web site commander or, if permitted at a better headquarters for an enterprise resolution, then not decrease than a basic officer/flag officer or senior govt service member. This letter will probably be due in Step 2 of the method if a workforce is chosen to maneuver ahead.
As a result of Step 2 would require a letter of dedication from an OIB chief, essentially the most profitable challenge groups are more likely to be those that have present relationships with or have labored with an OIB facility, the ARM Institute defined.
As well as, it famous that this name is for know-how and schooling or workforce improvement ideas, and groups can mix proposals. For instance, the ARM Institute inspired groups to incorporate a coaching part in a technical idea.
Schooling and workforce companions inspired to submit
The ARM Institute solicited schooling or workforce companions to submit whitepapers centered on coaching the workforce on know-how modifications throughout the OIB. The institute stated it would match sturdy schooling or workforce ideas with technical ideas.
After the ARM Institute critiques all submitted whitepapers, it stated it would select to mix concepts to kind the strongest proposals doable. All challenge submissions additionally require cost-sharing to the best diploma doable. The challenge cost-share quantity will probably be an element within the analysis of proposals, it stated.
The ARM Institute will host a webinar on Feb. 19 at 3:00 p.m. ET in assist of this effort. Throughout this webinar, the group will reply questions, element the challenge name content material/submission course of, and description the various totally different features of this name.

