The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is:
…an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…”
In 2006, the NSF funded a research project to create a step change in the performance of US manufacturing. The grant was won by professors from the University of Texas here in Austin and University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
What came out of this kickoff meeting was the need to make advanced automation technology more easily accessible to a broader number of manufactures, lots of low-cost sensors, increased use of models, better computing infrastructure and improve skills for manufacturing personnel. From a technology perspective, more measurements and broader use of models throughout the manufacturing lifecycle—design & prototyping, engineering, planning & scheduling, and ongoing optimization and maintenance were needed. From an infrastructure perspective, cloud-based software-as-a-service (SAAS) providers were needed with a focus on manufacturing applications.
A Smart Manufacturing platform was needed to provide common services like databases, connections to plant equipment and cybersecurity. Also, these manufacturing processes needed many more sensors to improve safety, reliability, energy & emissions and production. Easier to add wireless, “lick-and-stick” and disposable measurements were needed.
The vision that came out of this initial study was to develop an open, cloud-based marketplace for manufacturing applications that would have these characteristics: Continue Reading ▶
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