Digital Thread for Material Review Board (DT MRB)“The Digital Thread for Material Review Board Processes program aims to link design and production data and analyses within integrated

Digital Thread for Material Review Board

(DT4MRB)

DT4MRB Team

21 - 24 March, 2016AA&S Grapevine, Texas

Approved for public release; 88ABW-2016-1048, NGAS 16-0447 dated 3/9/16.

DT4MRB Team Members

Northrop GrummanVehicle Technology Development

John MadsenSteve EngelChuen YauElias AnagnostouJohn Crawford

Manufacturing Technology DevelopmentJason Bither Jeff GengeAditi Gobburu

2

EtegentTom SharpGary CoyanBob AyersUriah Liggett

DT4MRB AdvisorsDCMALiaison EngineeringMaterial Review BoardStructural AnalysisStructural DesignGlobal Quality

Air Force Research LaboratoryRichard MeyersAndrea HelbachSteven Turek


Overall Program Objectives

3

“The Digital Thread for Material Review Board Processes program aims to link design and production data and analyses within integrated software tools to feed the MRB decision-making process.” – BAA

9 Task 1 - Create a Digital Thread Infrastructure (DTI) supporting a framework of COTS technologies.

9 Task 2 - Exercise the framework and quantify the reduction in the duration of MRBactivities.

– Demonstrate the capture and promulgation of lessons learned to foreshorten future MRB deliberations.

– Create provisions to document the as-built configuration for Airframe Digital Twin– Develop initial business case

• Task 3 - Exercise the framework to demonstrate a reduction in the frequency of MRB activities by facilitating changes to the manufacturing process and/or component design.

– Quantify these benefits in both cost savings and quality improvements on example airframe structures currently in production


Generalized Top Level Architecture

4

ANCRControl

Design DataSpec

LibrarianTDP+

Root Cause

Analysis

ProbProcess Control

NonConf

Metro-logy

Work Orders

NLign

OtherData

MES

Data Exchange Layer


Data Exchange Layer

• Cloud storage– AWS, MS Azure, Google Cloud, etc– Multiple Regions & Availability Zones– Deploy Data To The Cloud

• Suppliers• Manufacturers• Users

– Data Lake

– Security and ITAR concerns• Cloud security review criteria by DISA• FedRAMP• Additional constraints

5

* Implementing and Integrating Product Data Management and Software, p23https://books.google.com/books?id=EAUbUpxf8jMC&pg=PA22&lpg=PA22&dq=pdm+data+vault&source=bl&ots=fxbvErfZX4&sig=VbacJfMdPglvUGGUAt1dPOgEzHE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBmoVChMI-uKm0pDqxwIVRZqACh04pAjv#v=onepage&q=pdm%20data%20vault&f=falseApproved for public release; 88ABW-2016-1048, NGAS 16-0447 dated 3/9/16.

https://books.google.com/books?id=EAUbUpxf8jMC&pg=PA22&lpg=PA22&dq=pdm+data+vault&source=bl&ots=fxbvErfZX4&sig=VbacJfMdPglvUGGUAt1dPOgEzHE&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEoQ6AEwBmoVChMI-uKm0pDqxwIVRZqACh04pAjv#v=onepage&q=pdm%20data%20vault&f=false



Data Exchange Layer – Cont’d

• Digital backbone– eQube-MI– Migrate and integrate data from any

source and in any format– Compatibility with the source and

destination system’s security and application context

– Pre-built comprehensive application specific connectors

• Common data interface and format– REST API– XML, PLM XML– JSON

6Approved for public release; 88ABW-2016-1048, NGAS 16-0447 dated 3/9/16.

Data Exchange Layer – Cont’d

• Platform to support data analytics– KNIME, open source data analytics

platform– Effortless access to all data– Apply powerful analysis and statistics– Visualize and create compelling reports– Chaining nodes into a workflow

• End to end encryption7Approved for public release; 88ABW-2016-1048, NGAS 16-0447 dated 3/9/16.

Librarian Functions

• User authentication and authorization

– Single Sign On– Access by Group or Role, especially

when crossing corporate boundary

• Support general requests for data, for example

– Request design model for a base part number for a specific tail number

– Get “latest” revision of a document– RESTful


Librarian Functions – Cont’d

• Intimate knowledge of data sources, as well as any required navigation

• Part number/Serial number lookup

• Conversion from source data for format requested by the user– TranscenData’s DEXcenter, for example, CAD to IGES, STEP, DXF

• Data control, such as checkout and return, data ownership– Proprietary and/or ITAR nature of data

• Data cache


Enhanced Technical Data Package (TDP+)

• Contains current Technical Data Package: As-Designed data

• Enhanced with As-Built data– Incrementally built and snapshot along the production line and final delivery– TDP+ for assembly:

• As-Designed and As-Built data for assembly• TDP+ for component parts

• Extensible in the future to contain As-Used data and As-Maintained data

10

Extensible, Easy Access, Comprehensive Data Package Delivered with Each Vehicle Defining Specific Individual Details From Birth


Current MRB Process

11

Non Conformance

(NC)

Quality Assurance Opens NC Report

(Tag)

Quality Assurance Corrects Information

Rework to spec

Monitor in Later Cost

Center• Departments

Disciplines• Stress Analysis• Flight Science• Etc.

Liaison Engineer Determines Disposition

MRB disp.Req?

Information Verified?

Standard Disposition?

Interim Disposition?

Disposition

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

No

Concurrent Analysis

Preliminary Review (PR)Non-Conformance Report

(NR) in MES Reference DataCloudView

2

4

5

1

1 2

3

Verification that all components

reported in NC report are accurate and consistent with

PDM / Effectivity

Tags are tracked through MES as the ship moves through production. QA reviews traveling tags to ensure that they haven’t

been disposition.

3 4 5

Mfg Execution System (MES)


Current Process Opportunities

• Current MRB process is time-consuming

• Need to streamline process to meet rate

• Collected data are underutilized

• No centralized database from which to pull reference material

• Many MRB issues are redundant and often require re-investigation

• The current process is manually worked by liaisons engineers

• Changes made to design or manufacturing are reactive and based on personnel experience


Digital Thread MRB Process

13

14-59806-004

Yes

NC

Quality Assurance Issues NC Report

Liaison Engineer Coordinates Disposition

Non-standard Disposition

Automated Data Acquisition and Tag Initiation

Automated Pre-Tag Verification

Automated NC Research

Real-time Tag Correction “Veri-Tag”

Root Cause Analysis

Mfg. Process Optimization

Design Optimization

Mfg. Process Change

Design Change

Yes

No

No

Variance Modeling

Disposition

As-Built TDP+

Current Steps

Proposed Task 3

KEY:

Refine Process Control Plan

Standard Disposition

Proposed Task 2

Supporting Disciplines

MRB Knowledge Base

Process/Design Improvements

Optimized Scheduling

Scrap Use As Is

Rework

Department Disciplines• Stress Analysis• Flight Sciences• Manufacturing• ADT and Sustainment• Etc.

Automate Where Practical, Leveraging the Flow of Information Made Possible By The DT Infrastructure


Veri-Tag Challenges Addressed

• Challenges with Existing System– Free form text limits tag reuse– Tags rejected due to incomplete/incorrect information– Tags information initially captured on paper and later entered into

MES is laborious and error prone• Veri-tag Solution

– Deploy tablet application at point of inspection– Reduce time required to create initial Tag (NC)– Add structure to captured data to support automated research– Reduce number of Tag Rejections due to:

• Inaccurate location• Wrong part number• Wrong criticality code(s)• Incomplete information

14 Approved for public release; 88ABW-2016-1048, NGAS 16-0447 dated 3/9/16.

Veri-Tag NC Data Capture

• Real-time verification that non-conformance is consistent with Product Data Management (PDM) specifications and effectivity

• Real-time verification that NC information is complete and accurate

• Enabled by Etegent’s NLign Analytics with some enhancements to their COTS product

15

Real-Time Tag Validation From The StartStreamlines Data Entry and Eliminates Manual Iterations

Initiated in MES Accurately Described within NLign

Returned back to

MES


Veri-Tag Photo Mapping

• Nonconformance (NC) photographically registered to 3D Database

• Provides accurate location in aircraft coordinate system

• Enabled by Etegent’s NLign Analytics with some enhancements to their COTS product

16

Accurate Registration of NC into the 3D Database Orients the Adjudicating Party, Providing Quick Access to Necessary Information for

Disposition Approved for public release; 88ABW-2016-1048, NGAS 16-0447 dated 3/9/16.

Automated NC Research (ANCR)

• Challenges with Existing System– Access to historical data is cumbersome

• Unstructured data• Poor query tools• Inaccurate/Missing 3D location• Different groups/individuals rely on local ad-hoc databases

• ANCR Solution– Central database with links to all relevant data– Structured data customized for each type of defect– Automated generation of common queries– 3D visualization of reference and historical data

17 Approved for public release; 88ABW-2016-1048, NGAS 16-0447 dated 3/9/16.

NGC/NLign ANCR Storyboard

Displays result of Current Part State search

18

List of other discrepancies associated with serialized part. User can double click on row to see details associated with discrepancy.

Other discrepancies associated with this serialized part shown on model colored by Defect Code


Automated NC Research (ANCR)

• Searchable data knowledgebase referenced by salient features: Location, Damage Type, Serial Number, Aircraft Tail Number, Left/Right Hand, and/or any other user defined criteria

• Retrieval of standard dispositions, criteria & historical repair precedents

• Retrieval & dissemination of information for non-standard dispositions

• Eliminates redundant analyses & streamlines new analyses

19

Automated NC Research Streamlines & Enables Data Driven Decisions


Overview of Estimated Savings

20

Discovery of Defect

NC Initiation & Preliminary Review

using Veri-Tag

Rework to spec

Monitor in Later Cost

Center

Engineering Concurrence use ANCR

Liaison Engineer Determines Disposition

Use ANCR

MRB disp.Req?

Information Verified?

Standard Disposition? Use ANCR

Interim Disposition?

Disposition

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

No

No

Concurrent Analysis

2

45

3

Submit report to change required Veri-Tag

fields

No

Changes to MRB Process

Preliminary Review (PR) ANCR/Reference Data MES

2 41 3

ANCR/Reference Data

Estimated Savings

23% Savings

5

10% Savings

NC Report (NR)/Veri-Tag

1

Veri-Tag & ANCR Have Been Estimated to Save 33% of MRB Labor HoursApproved for public release; 88ABW-2016-1048, NGAS 16-0447 dated 3/9/16.

Reduction of NC Tags

• Exercise the framework to demonstrate a reduction in the frequency of MRB activities by facilitating changes to the manufacturing process and/or component design.

• Investigating Cots (Delmia) and open source products (KNIME) for Digital Thread data reduction, root cause analysis.

• Results to data have uncovered necessary process and design changes that will reduce NC tag generation

21

14-59806-004

Yes

NC

Quality Assurance Issues NC Report

Liaison Engineer Coordinates Disposition

Non-standard Disposition

Automated Data Acquisition and Tag Initiation

Automated Pre-Tag Verification

Automated NC Research

Real-time Tag Correction “Veri-Tag”

Root Cause Analysis

Mfg. Process Optimization

Design Optimization

Mfg. Process Change

Design Change

Yes

No

No

Variance Modeling

Disposition

As-Built TDP+

Current Steps

Proposed Task 3

KEY:

Refine Process Control Plan

Standard Disposition

Proposed Task 2

Supporting Disciplines

MRB Knowledge Base

Process/Design Improvements

Optimized Scheduling

Scrap Use As Is

Rework

Department Disciplines• Stress Analysis• Flight Sciences• Manufacturing• ADT and Sustainment• Etc.


Conclusion

• Proposed framework and architecture utilizing COTS and open source products that provide a system for generation and easy access to airframe digital data

• Exercised the system to show time savings in NC Tag creation and adjudication of 33% while enhancing quality and accuracy of data reported

• Currently working the system to show data analytics resolution to identify process and design issues allowing corrections that will reduce tag activity


For Additional Information Please Contact:

John [email protected]

John [email protected]

Stephen [email protected]

Rick [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]




Documents

Digital Thread for Material Review Board (DT MRB)“The Digital Thread for Material Review Board Processes program aims to link design and production data and analyses within integrated