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NCMS to Open New Manufacturing Center in Maryland

The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) is pleased to announce plans to establish a new manufacturing innovation center in Harford County, Maryland. Focusing on developing next-generation industrial additive manufacturing, materials, and processes, this facility will house leading engineers and the world’s most powerful production technology. Collaboration at the center will lead to scientific breakthroughs in metallurgy and plastics, as well as the launch of new factory machinery that will transform the way U.S. producers make aircraft, automobiles, munitions, medical devices, and other products. “As a proven leader in advanced technology innovation development, NCMS has the unique ability to engage and work with a wide variety of partners while finding the critical infrastructure, talent, and investment for successful program and project management,” said NCMS president, Rick Jarman. “We believe Aberdeen, Maryland is the place where these vital innovation ingredients come together and are key to the new industrial revolution.” Led by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen, D-MD and Lindsay Graham, R-SC, the new center has received bipartisan support from across the country, indicating the tremendous interest in capturing the impact and capabilities of this critical technology to maintain and strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. “I’m pleased to welcome NCMS to Maryland and add this national innovation leader to our State’s manufacturing ecosystem,” said Sen. Van Hollen. “I look forward to seeing how the collaboration of NCMS alongside industry leaders will transform manufacturing – enabling rapid production at lower cost.” Partners of the new center include the State of Maryland, the Maryland Department of Commerce, and Harford County, Maryland, as well as founding members 3D Systems and Applied Materials. “3D Systems is proud to have helped NCMS lead this initiative,” said Neal Orringer, vice president, alliances & partnerships, 3D Systems. “It’s a tremendous opportunity to partner with key government and industry leaders such as Applied Materials to drive innovation and U.S. competitiveness. This effort is designed to equip our military with the best technology possible at the best value to the taxpayer.” This collaboration between government, industry, and academia will advance and build on breakthrough, non-traditional technologies to enable U.S. manufacturers with large-scale additive manufacturing, unprecedented speed in part production, novel designs and materials, dramatic cuts in cost and delivery times, and point-of-need part manufacturing. The goal is to provide U.S. troops with the most updated platforms and tools available, so they are prepared to face any situation, NCMS’ long-standing, proven and sustainable success is possible because of its effective collaboration with world-class organizations that deliver solutions to enhance our nation’s manufacturing capability. Building on its extensive relationships with the U.S. Army, NCMS expands this connectivity to the Army Research Laboratory, the Army’s corporate laboratory. Through its material science research effort, ARL executes fundamental research for scientific discovery and innovative problem-solving to provide superior materials and devices needed to achieve lasting strategic land power dominance. “Our administration is pleased to see two years of planning and partnership come to fruition with this new manufacturing innovation center,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “This unique consortium – which brings significant opportunities to Harford County, Maryland, and the region – will rapidly accelerate manufacturing opportunities in our state, leading to more jobs and a stronger economy.” The State of Maryland, like NCMS, is committed to enhancing the global competitiveness of North American manufacturing. By creating a center focused on continued innovation in advanced materials, this region of Maryland will become a hub of collaboration among researchers, the defense community and industry for the future of materials and manufacturing. Harford County is providing leased lab, training and administrative space for the facility at the Higher Education and Applied Technology Center or HEAT Center. “We are excited to work with NCMS and look forward to being active partners in this unprecedented consortium for new manufacturing technology,” said Harford County Executive Barry Glassman.


 

11th Annual GOLF4STEM Education Tournament

Your support helps students discover and practice real science. Through efforts like GOLF4Stem, you are building tomorrow's STEM educated workforce and filling the pipeline of future employees, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.

REGISTER NOW, https://www.planmygolfevent.com/cgi/page.cgi?_id=342695


Disruptive Technology Summit 2.1

The NMTC Disruptive Tech Summit 2.1 is designed to help our community navigate profitably and securely through this new age of technology while providing a deeper understanding of what’s to come.

Visit: bit.ly/NMTCTechSummit to register and learn more about sponsoring this event?
 

We build it a thousand times so you only build it once!

RTR is a small technical services firm providing a wide range of analytical services leveraging its generalized experience in process discovery, data collection, computer simulation, visualization, and software development, and its specific experience in specialized subject matter areas including border security, equipment maintenance, and medical operations.  Our specialty has and will continue to be operations research with a focus on process analysis leveraging modeling and simulation.  Any process that involves a large number of repetitive operations that can be classified and quantified can be analyzed and optimized using these techniques.  The results of these analyses can be expressed in many forms including resources used, dollars spent, time spent by process and even as high resolution 3D visualizations of the existing and/or proposed system under study.  The RTR team can provide a whole host of additional services and improvements in the form of training materials, automated data collection and documentation systems, and user-interface simplifications in different forms, all of which can add value to or support for your other ventures. 

Q: What customers have you served?

A: RTR's employees have primarily served governmental customers in the Department of Defense, GSA and the Department of Homeland Security and its antecedents. We have served Navy NAVAIR and Marine air organizations, the General Services Administration (GSA) Public Building Services organization, and the DHS Transportation Security Administration (TSA), The Secret Service, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Our commercial customers include the games industry, dental and medical offices, airlines, steel manufacturers, software development teams, power companies, metal foundries, auto manufacturers, insurance companies, banks, and others.

Q: What experience do you have with process analysis and modeling?

A: RTR and its employees have been analyzing and modeling different processes in a wide range of industries for up to 50 years. The ultimate end product of any research and modeling effort may change depending on the customer's needs. Analysis and simulation efforts have provided the following as formal deliverables:

  • Reports, Statistics, Visualizations, User Operated Computer Models and simulation Tools

   Some Examples:

        Analysis Report summarizing how to structure operations to achieve a given result

        An independent verification, validation and accreditation (VV&A) report in accordance with DoD MIL-STD-3022

        A discrete event simulation a customer can use for their own explorations without the vendor's input

Q:  What is the benefit of modeling and simulation?

A:  Building a model that represents your existing or proposed operation forces us to discover all of the details about the process, from all of the steps to all of the entities to all of the parameters describing each.  Building and running the baseline model helps ensure that we understand all the components of your process and that we represented them correctly both qualitatively and quantitatively.  Once we identify beneficial changes to the process we can adjust the model quickly to see how the performance of the proposed system changes.  In short, it allows us to measure the benefit of the change without having to implement the change.

Q:  If you’ve never analyzed a process like mine before, what makes you think you can do it?

A:  The steps involved in discovering how a process works and turning it into a model are not specific to each process but general across all processes.  We always have to understand the customer’s goals, characterize the means by which those goals will be achieved, work with the customer to reach a common understanding of the system to be modeled or analyzed, construct a model, and exercise the model to produce results that give insight into how the process works and can be improved.

Q:  What kinds of benefits have you realized for customers?

  • Reduced resource consumption, cost, pollution, waste, errors and wait times
  • Increased throughput
  • Improved training and situational awareness
  • Verification that a proposed design does or does not meet the customer’s requirements
  • Changes to proposed designs that result in a system that does meet the customer’s requirements

Q:  What are a couple of examples of process improvements you recommended and how did you identify them?

A:  In one case we were analyzing the layout of a land border crossing and were assessing the effectiveness of one of our standard techniques of improving throughput:  licensing certain classes of border-crossers so they may be processed more quickly in specially-dedicated lanes.  It took looking at the output of a model, however, to notice that the specific layout of this port prevented most border crossers from realizing the benefits of this technique, because of the limited number of lanes available for all traffic as part of the approach to primary processing.  We recommended some prospective changes to the layout that allowed the cleared travelers to access the dedicated booths with less interference, thus improving overall throughput.  We were also able to determine what level of overall participation in this special program would result in keeping normal queues from interfering with the approaches to the special booths in more situations.

In a different case we were analyzing a process where certain individuals were performing duties besides those that actually generated revenue for the organization.  We determined which of the non-revenue-generating activities could be streamlined or performed outright be less expensive employees, so the revenue generated by the most skilled employees could be maximized.  We also verified that the increase in revenue was less than the additional cost of the additional support employees, so it was confirmed that the entire operation was both able to see more customers and generate more revenue as a systemic whole.

Q:  We already have excellent data about our process.  Can you make use of that?

A:  If we need data, we have a way to collect it.  If you already have data, we have a way to use it.  We also perform a range of statistical analyses and expert reviews on data to determine whether we have sufficient sample quantities to ensure we can accurately characterize the range of intermediate and end results that may be observed.

Q:  Can you work with other vendors and systems?

A:  We have worked for and with a wide range of customers and partners using a variety of contract vehicles, so we are able to share services and information as needed.


New Mobile Passport Control App Available

WASHINGTON—U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) today announced the launch of the first authorized app to expedite a traveler’s entry process into the United States. Mobile Passport Control (MPC) will allow eligible travelers to submit their passport information and customs declaration form via a smartphone or tablet prior to CBP inspection. This first-of-its-kind app was developed by Airside Mobile and Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) in partnership with CBP as part of a pilot program at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. IPhone and iPad users can download the app for free from Apple’s App Store.

“We are strongly committed to the facilitation of travel and tourism to the United States, all while maintaining the highest security standards in the world,” said Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. “Mobile Passport Control is an important step and one that we think the traveling public will embrace.” 

Eligible travelers arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will be able to use the app beginning Aug. 13. MPC is expected to expand to more airports later this year and to Android smartphone users in the future.

“CBP continues to transform the international arrivals experience for travelers by offering new and innovative ways to expedite entry into the United States, while maintaining the highest standards of security” said CBP Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske. “By offering this app to passengers, we hope to build upon the success we have already experienced with Automated Passport Control, which has resulted in decreases in wait times as much as 25-40 percent, even with continued growth in international arrivals.”

MPC currently offers U.S. citizens and Canadian visitors a more efficient and secure in-person inspection between the CBP officer and the traveler upon arrival in the United States. Much like Automated Passport Control, the app does not require pre-approval, is free-to-use and does not collect any new information on travelers.  As a result, travelers will experience shorter wait times, less congestion and faster processing.

“Mobile Passport exemplifies the forward-thinking commitment CBP and airports have to improving the passenger experience when entering the United States,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke.  “This partnership between CBP and ACI-NA also represents an outstanding example of industry and government working together to find smart, cost-effective solutions.  We look forward to continuing our collaboration with CBP as Mobile Passport begins its roll-out at U.S. airports later this year.”

There are five easy steps to MPC:

  • Download the Mobile Passport Control App from the Apple App Store prior to arriving
  • Create a profile with your passport information
  • Complete the “New Trip” section upon arrival in the United States
  • Submit your customs declaration form through the app to receive an electronic receipt with an Encrypted Quick Response (QR) code. This receipt will expire four hours after being issued
  • Bring your passport and smartphone or tablet with your digital bar-coded receipt to a CBP officer

ACI-NA contracted with Airside Mobile in MPC’s technical development.  Information about Mobile Passport, including how to download, user eligibility and other frequently asked questions, is available on the Travel section of the CBP.gov website and the Airside Mobile website.

MPC is just one part of CBP’s resource optimization strategy which is transforming the way CBP does business in land, air and sea environments. As part of its commitment to innovation, CBP last year rolled out Automated Passport Control, which is now available in 22 locations, and automated the I-94 form. CBP has also enrolled more than two million travelers in trusted traveler programs such as Global Entry, NEXUS and SENTRI. These programs allow CBP officers to process travelers safely and efficiently while enhancing security and reducing operational costs.

Screenshot of Mobile Passport Control App welcoming page Screenshot of Mobile Passport Control App Profile page
Screenshot of Mobile Passport Control App New Trip page Screenshot of Mobile Passport Control App Receipt page
Tags: 
Travel
http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/2014-08-11-000000/new-mobile-passport-control-app-available

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