Update on NIST Extramural Programs in Advanced Manufacturing

 

Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology

June 11-12, 2013

Dr. Frank W. Gayle

Deputy Director 

Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office

Mr. Alex Folk

Director, Program Development Office

Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership
New Extramural programs designed to:

– support US manufacturing competitiveness by strengthening the innovation 

ecosystem and addressing market failures in technology scale-up

– serve in the precompetitive space and act in a neutral convening and gapfilling role in the manufacturing innovation process.

This set of complementary programs comprise:

1. AMTech works at the very earliest stages of manufacturing product and 

process development by supporting the planning and formation of industryled consortia.

2. NNMI bridges the gap – the “missing middle” – between basic research 

performed by federal laboratories/academic institutions and applied 

research performed by private industry; and by addressing skills and 

workforce development in a “teaching factory” environment

3. M-TAC accelerates the commercial adoption of both emerging and existing 

technology through supply chains specific to the needs of small and midsized manufacturing firms

NIST Extramural Programs in Advanced Manufacturing
NIST Manufacturing Programs

[Basic Research] [Development] [Demonstration] [Deployment]

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Technology Readiness Levels

Centers of Excellence

NNMI

MTAC

MEP

AMTech

Metrology and 

Research Pre-competitive 

R & D

Technology 

Development and 

Demonstration Supply Chain 

Technology 

Deployment and 

Adoption

Regional Partnerships 

for Technology 

Deployment and 

Adoption

NIST Labs
4

AMTech

Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia
5

Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech)

AMTech originally proposed in FY 12, funded in FY 13

AMTech program includes : 

1. Planning awards: consortia to develop a shared vision of industry’s 

research needs

2. Implementation awards: larger awards to consortia to facilitate the 

realization of clearly stated long-term industry research needs

Deliverables and outputs: 

• Consortia that reflect the needs of consortia members representing 

industry, small business, and other stakeholder groups

• R&D outputs as measured by metrics such as direct funding of research 

activities, generation of new knowledge, attraction of industry and state 

funding, and creation of new companies and jobs

Supports R&D in advanced manufacturing and strengthens 

long-term U.S. leadership in critical technologies leading to 

sustainable economic growth and job creation. 
6

 VCAT input on AMTech Program design

June 7, 2011

• Meeting of the VCAT Subcommittee on Manufacturing, Chaired by Alan Taub

• Other VCAT Subcommittee members: Sujeet Chand, Uma Chowdhry, Tony 

Haymet, Karen Kerr, and Al Romig 

• Guest experts from Council on Competitiveness, General Motors, ITIF, Maritime 

Applied Physics Corp., National Economic Council, Texas Instruments, & USCAR

October 18, 

2011

• Alan Taub presents Subcommittee recommendations to the full VCAT 

February 7, 

2012

• Report approved by VCAT: Recommendations on Design Principles for AMTech 

• VCAT recommendations incorporated in current design/FY2013 FFO

“The VCAT strongly endorses the AMTech program as a model public-private 

partnership program for supporting technological innovation and facilitating its 

deployment to support advanced manufacturing” (2011 VCAT Annual Report)
7

Current Status 

FY 13 funded at $7.5M 

• $3M used to support DOD Institutes for 

Manufacturing Innovation 

• discussed later under AMNPO/National Network of 

Manufacturing Innovation

• NIST AMTech grants for consortia planning at 

~$4.5 M

• FFO mid July 2013

• “Industry Day” by early August

• Awards expected January 2014

Advanced Manufacturing Technology Consortia (AMTech)
8

NNMI

National Network for Manufacturing Innovation
9
Summary Update: 

The National Network for Manufacturing Innovation

February 12, 2013 SOU “... and I ask this Congress to help 

create a network of fifteen of these hubs and guarantee that 

the next revolution in manufacturing is made in America”

• Proposed new program

• $1B in one-time funding;

• Based at NIST

• Includes interagency participation

• DOD led “pilot” last year: National Additive 

Manufacturing Innovation Institute

• $5M FY13 NIST Measurement Science for Advanced

Manufacturing grant to support US AM efforts

• DOD and DOE will be launching 3 institutes as part of the 

NNMI network 

• Lightweight and Modern Metals

• Digital Manufacturing and Design

• Wide Bandgap Semiconductors for Power Applications

• Details at www.manufacturing.gov
11

New developments

• Advanced Manufacturing 

Subcommittee under NSTC (CoT) 

established on December 12, 2012

• Executive Order pending

• Recruiting new Fellows

Gloria Wiens

University of 

Florida

Brian Paul

Oregon State 

University

Summary Update: The NIST Advanced Manufacturing Office

 and The Advanced Manufacturing National Program Office
Interagency Advanced Manufacturing

National Program Office (AMNPO)

NSTC - Advanced 

Manufacturing 

Subcommittee

Executive Office of the President 

Advanced 

Manufacturing

Partnership 

(AMP/PCAST)

Advanced Manufacturing

National Program Office

(housed at DOC - NIST)
HMEP 

Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership

and

M-TAC

Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Centers
HMEP Centers Across the U.S.

800.MEP.4MFG

www.mep.nist.gov
What HMEP Does

Focus on meeting manufacturer’s short term needs in context of 

overall company strategy

HMEP Center areas of common strength

 Engineering Services for products and processes

 Growth Services – new or expanded market opportunities

 Lean Manufacturing

 Quality Systems

 Sustainability

 Workforce Development

Reach over 31,000 manufacturing firms and complete over 7,600 

projects per year*

 *Based on FY2011 and 2012 MEP Center reported performance data.
M-TAC Background and Focus

Background:

 M-TACs are a new initiative included in President Obama’s 2014 Federal 

Budget

 Includes $25 M to deploy M-TACs in FY-2014 Budget Request

Focus:

 Provide technology acceleration support to small & mid-sized U.S. 

manufacturers through program that is nationally connected and locally 

deployed.

 Deliver technology transition and commercialization services for small & mid- sized U.S. manufacturers on a nationwide-scale

 Serve as industry-specific coordination points for key supply chains
M-TAC Approach

Approach:

 Collaborate and partner with local, regional and national resources to fill gaps not 

being addressed by other national efforts

 Foster connections between the existing HMEP System and its network of 

Centers to amplify nationwide HMEP technology acceleration assistance

Emphasis:

 Supply Chain Development and Optimization through technology adoption

 Existing & Emerging Technologies; Product & Process Technologies 

 Collaborate with and fill gaps not being addressed by other national efforts

 Services relating to 

• technology and process integration; engineering; manufacturing scale up

• new product development; product and process innovation

• financing; legal (IP and regulatory); marketing, market analysis
2013 Request for Information (RFI) to inform 2014 M-TAC Investments – Post July 2013

• Financially sustainable business & cost share models,

• Technology transition & commercialization tools/services,

• M-TAC role with respect to Supply Chains, 

• M-TAC performance evaluation

2013 Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) for Initiation Pilot Projects – Post 

July 2013 and Target Award September 2013

• $1M total available 

• Focus - Inform 2014 M-TAC investments:

 Test/demo business models for nationwide, scalable service

 Provide technology transition, commercialization tools & services to small manufacturers

 Define M-TAC role relating to Supply Chain needs and participation of OEMs

 Metrics of Success

FFO for M-TAC Deployment – Target Early 2014 – Pending Funding - $25M

• Establish nationally focused M-TAC’s that leverage and amplify network of HMEP Centers

Schedule – FY-2013 and FY-2014
Questions?