Transforming the Future of Aerospace & Defense

July 27, 2021 by

The Aerospace & Defense industry is undergoing a transformation, as we look to leverage new technologies, implement digital tools, and increase automation to drive efficiencies and reduce cost. This transformation is changing the way we manufacture and produce everything from commercial engines to Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensors. There is no question – Industry 4.0 is here, and our operational transformation to get there is underway. But to truly drive capability improvement, reduce cost and increase productivity, it will take not only operational transformation, but also a continuous focus on operational excellence.

Hear from Paolo Dal Cin, Senior Vice President of Operations & Supply Chain at Raytheon Technologies, as he shares how Raytheon Technologies is leveraging new technologies & capabilities in combination with a new operating system – CORE – to ensure the company remains a leader in the aerospace and defense industry.

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The Digital Journey Continues – People and Processes

June 24, 2021 by

You cannot increase production and capture price down with rate up unless the people and processes are aligned. This presentation will presents case studies of how this was accomplished.

Make it Right the First Time: Data Model Systems

June 22, 2021 by

A discussion on tools and practices. Where are we going?

Moderator: Dean Bartles, PhD, FSME, FASME, Chief Executive Officer & President, MTDG – Manufacturing Technology Deployment Group

Essential Manufacturing Applications and Lessons Learned in Production of Virgin Orbit LauncherOne

June 22, 2021 by

The keynote speech will discuss the key manufacturing approaches and technology to enable Virgin Orbit to go from a vacant factory to successful launch and a 20 launch vehicle per year production facility within four years. The discussion will include Virgin Orbit’s usage of key manufacturing tools and equipment including the following: Artificial Intelligence; Composite tape wrapped Liner-less Composite Propellant tanks; Additive and subtractive manufacturing; automated Spray-on-foam Insulation; and Ultrasound Composite inspection. Additionally, Virgin Orbit’s philosophy on Factory Flow; Automation versus Hand Lay-up; Vertical Integration; and impact of Rate, learning curve effect and design on cost and inherent system reliability will be discussed. Finally, the success of the last launch and the attributes of the air-launch system will be provided.

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Turning Factories to Smart Factories

June 22, 2021 by

The application of Industry 4.0 technologies and concepts in Aerospace manufacturing has taken off in numerous directions, as the industry’s leading OEMs and suppliers seek to leverage the massive range of opportunities it presents.

The smart factory concept represents a real and revolutionary transformation that is already happening and marks the future of industrial manufacturing. A smart factory implements technologies such as robotics and automation, cloud computing, big data, data analytics artificial intelligence (AI), and the internet of things (IoT), hence it can operate largely autonomously with an ongoing everlasting ability to optimize, a lot more than humans can do on their own.

During this panel, each of the panelists will share the experience his organization or company gained with regards to advanced technologies related to industry 4.0 and smart factories, how they see the progress various manufacturers made recently, and in what technologies manufacturers invest today in order to remain competitive. In addition, how the panelists propose to measure the benefits and ROI related to these technologies.

Moderator: Avner Ben-Bassat, President & CEO, Plataine

How Does 4.0 Data Impact Lean Manufacturing?

June 22, 2021 by

Lean is an established and proven methodology and philosophy for achieving efficient manufacturing success through people, processes, coaching and cultural change. Industry 4.0, dubbed approximately 10 years ago, describes the world’s “fourth industrial revolution,” also termed Smart Manufacturing, initiated and driven by new and rapidly evolving technology in manufacturing, and the changes in processes, skills, organizational constructs, and human/social dynamics that accompany industrial revolutions. These two monumental topics of Lean and Industry 4.0 can at times be in conflict, synergistic, or a combination of both. FIFO can be disrupted by real-time scheduling optimization and AI; the digitization of takt boards and factory metrics, accessible remotely, can disrupt the practice of Gemba-style engagement; Kaizen related improvement outputs can be stymied by digital infrastructure. There are many more examples. But smart digital factories and automation can also enable significant efficiencies, inform decisions and processes in a Lean framework, and if done right can relieve substantial non-value add (waste) burdens from operators up through the management chain. This panel will bring together experts in the fields of Industry 4.0 and Lean to have a rich dialogue about Industry 4.0 and Lean as they evolve – sometimes in synergy, and sometimes in conflict/disruption – in the new technology laden manufacturing landscape. We are not looking for a consensus position, nor a pre-supposed answer to the relationship between Industry 4.0 and Lean – in fact much of the most interesting discussion comes from the areas of conflict/change. We appreciate and welcome your expertise and engagement in this exciting and contemporary topic.

Moderator: Kelly Dodds, Advanced Manufacturing Tech Director, Raytheon Intelligence & Space (RIS)