Notice2021-18129
Robot Workcell Degradation Technology Exploration With the Manufacturing Extension Partnership National Network Consortium
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 24, 2021
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Institute of Standards and Technology
Abstract
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an agency of the United States Department of Commerce, in support of efforts to verify and validate robot workcell health monitoring methods for use in the manufacturing industry, is establishing the Robot Workcell Degradation Technology Exploration with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership National Network Consortium ("Consortium"). In addition to supporting verification and validation of robot workcell health monitoring methods, the consortium intends to provide NIST with the opportunity to transfer technology to the U.S. manufacturing sector through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network<SUP>TM</SUP>.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 161 (Tuesday, August 24, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47298-47299]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18129]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Robot Workcell Degradation Technology Exploration With the
Manufacturing Extension Partnership National Network Consortium
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of research consortium.
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SUMMARY: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an
agency of the United States Department of Commerce, in support of
efforts to verify and validate robot workcell health monitoring methods
for use in the manufacturing industry, is establishing the Robot
Workcell Degradation Technology Exploration with the Manufacturing
Extension Partnership National Network Consortium (``Consortium''). In
addition to supporting verification and validation of robot workcell
health monitoring methods, the consortium intends to provide NIST with
the opportunity to transfer technology to the U.S. manufacturing sector
through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National
Network<SUP>TM</SUP>.
DATES: The Consortium's activities will commence on July 23rd, 2021
(``Commencement Date''). NIST will accept letters of interest from MEP
Center teams to participate in this Consortium from prospective
participants until December 1, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Completed letters of interest or requests for additional
information about the Consortium can be directed via electronic mail to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#22704d404d566170636663624c4b51560c454d54"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="95c7faf7fae1d6c7d4d1d4d5fbfce6e1bbf2fae3">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: J'aime Maynard, CRADA Administrator,
National Institute of Standards and Technology's Technology
Partnerships Office, by mail to 100 Bureau Drive, Mail Stop 2200,
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, by electronic mail to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#93d9f2fafef6bdfef2eafdf2e1f7d3fdfae0e7bdf4fce5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b6fcd7dfdbd398dbd7cfd8d7c4d2f6d8dfc5c298d1d9c0">[email protected]</span></a>, or by telephone at (301) 975-8408.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Consortium efforts are expected to yield
practical lessons learned and guidance on the deployment and usage of
the NIST-developed test methodology and companion sensor along with
producing quantitative data from the test method and the host robot
workcells. This will enhance NIST's research verifying and validating
methods to assess robot workcell health degradation in addition to
accelerating technology transfer into the manufacturing industry.
NIST's Engineering Laboratory has developed a test method--
Identification and Isolation of Robot Workcell Degradation--that has
the potential to efficiently assess the change in accuracy within a
robot workcell, including those used in manufacturing operations. The
test method is paired with the NIST-developed Position Verification
Sensor (PVS--patent pending) to yield pass/fail output when the test
method is executed with the PVS in a robot workcell. The test method
and PVS are designed such that the change in accuracy of the key
insertion can be measured to desired tolerances. This capability
addresses the challenge that it can be costly to determine if the
health of a robot workcell has degraded before quality and/or
productivity are impacted. The test method and sensor require
verification and validation from industrial partners. The Manufacturing
Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network<SUP>TM</SUP>, a public-
private partnership with Centers in every U.S. state and Puerto Rico
dedicated to serving small and medium-sized manufacturers, is uniquely
positioned to enable this activity.
Each pilot study will be performed at a MEP Center-selected
manufacturing facility. Proof of concept studies, prior to individual
pilot studies, may be conducted at an MEP Center or at a chosen
technology integrator/builder facility.
This CRADA Consortium involves the use of U.S. Government IP. NIST
Invention entitled ``POSITION VERIFICATION SENSOR WITH DISCRETE
OUTPUT'', US Patent Application 16/572,847, filed on September 17,
2019, will be the IP that is used in this collaboration.
This Consortium has specific objectives including:
(1) Pilot the test method and PVS in manufacturing facilities
through guided deployments by state-based MEP Center teams to obtain
practical feedback, including quantitative performance data, lessons
learned, and deployment guidance, regarding the viability of the test
method and sensor in robot workcells;
(2) During each pilot study, obtain information regarding the
manufacturing operations, test method, and sensor performance including
(a) data from the test method and sensor during its usage in a robot
workcell health testing, (b) component-level data from the robot(s)
that are interacting with the sensor, (c) process-level data captured
from the overall workcell(s) that include the test method/sensor, (d)
operational configuration information of the robot workcell including
use case variants (e.g., robot picks up boxes weighing 5 kg and 10 kg
as opposed to picking up boxes of the same weight), (e) maintenance
logs and activities that document faults and failures of the workcell
along with specific maintenance that is performed, and (f) feedback
from manufacturing personnel (e.g., operators, maintenance personnel,
plant managers, etc.);
(3) Enable MEP Center teams to explore the development of a service
of the NIST test method and/or the commercialization of the new sensor
technology to ultimately promote transfer to the manufacturing
industry; and
(4) Enable MEP Center teams to promote a capability for
manufacturers/
[[Page 47299]]
robot workcell end-users to detect degradation of process accuracy
prior to it impacting product quality or operational productivity.
There are numerous potential benefits to the participating MEP
Center teams including:
a. Acquisition of a research license of NIST's PVS technology to
practice the invention to explore its commercial feasibility
b. Feedback on the deployment, integration, usage, and maintenance
(as necessary) of the sensor within relevant operational environments
to determine if/where/how to make the technology more viable for
commercialization
c. Identification of the use cases and scenarios that the sensor
and test method can be reasonably deployed
d. Acquire advanced knowledge of potential degradations to process
accuracy prior to degradations negatively impacting product quality or
operational productivity
e. If the sensor became commercially available, this could lead to
the development of services using the sensor to improve the operations
and efficiency of small and medium manufacturers.
Participation Process
Eligibility will be determined by NIST based on the information
provided by prospective participants in response to this notice on a
first-come, first-serve basis. In accordance with the Consortium
objectives, collaborators must be MEP Centers. Collaborator project
teams must be entirely composed of MEP Centers or, if a project team
includes non-MEP Center team members, the project team must be led by
an MEP Center Collaborator. All participants will be required to sign
the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) for this
Consortium, and each participant will be bound to the same terms and
conditions in consideration of participation in the Consortium.
Participants will not be required to contribute any funds or pay any
fee. NIST will evaluate the submitted responses from prospective
participants to determine eligibility to participate in this
Consortium. Prospective participants should provide a Letter of
Interest with the following information to NIST's Consortium Manager:
(1) A description of the MEP Center team's technical experience in
integrating robot workcells and/or sensor technology into manufacturing
facilities.
(2) A description of the manufacturing use cases and deployments of
robotic workcells that the MEP Center team would target for NIST test
method and PVS deployment.
(3) A description of services, if any, that the MEP Center team has
provided in the domains of robotic manufacturing, predictive
maintenance, or sensors.
(4) List of interested MEP Center's anticipated team members.
Letter of interest must not include business proprietary
information. NIST will not treat any information provided in response
to this Notice as proprietary information. NIST will notify each
organization of its eligibility. NIST does not guarantee participation
in the Consortium to any organization submitting a Letter of interest.
Alicia Chambers,
NIST Executive Secretariat.
[FR Doc. 2021-18129 Filed 8-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-13-P
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