[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ border_style=”solid”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=””][fusion_text]
Bryan Dods from The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation focuses on emerging tactics that bolster the supply chain – and what’s holding them back.
[/fusion_text][fusion_text]
With the advanced materials and processes involved in composite manufacturing, it makes sense that suppliers are focusing on smart manufacturing methods to bring these materials and systems to life. Some of these methods often include software developed to keep track of supplies and assets such as open source inventory management, asset management and other types of software developed by Saas companies similar to ServiceMax.
“With composite manufacturing, the need for smart manufacturing is critical to help us ensure product quality and performance in the product,” says Bryan Dods, CEO of The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI). Speaking of product quality, it comes as no surprise that anyone looking to find ways of painting commercial products through the method of EPD coating, or Electrophoretic deposition would seek assistance from a professional company. When it comes to the whole manufacturing process, everything should be done in the right way.
Since composite manufacturing is highly variable compared to machining and other traditional processes that composites are replacing across industries, manufacturers and distributors, such as the WG Henschen Company, are looking to smart manufacturing to help maximize efficiency across the board and strengthen the supply chain. Many people don’t realize how important a well-functioning supply chain is to a business because, without it, they won’t be able to manufacture any of their products. This is why so much scrutiny is placed on the supply chain to identify where potential weaknesses lie within it. Businesses even go to companies like Riskpulse to get professional help managing their chain.
“There are some aspects of the smart manufacturing principles that can be applied to composite manufacturing that will ensure automotive and other industries of the quality and performance levels of a composite product,” Dods says.
[/fusion_text][fusion_builder_row_inner][fusion_builder_column_inner type=”2_3″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” dimension_margin=”undefined” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no” border_position=”all”][fusion_text]
Incorporating advanced technologies such as sensors in composite materials is already happening in areas such as aerospace, and IAMCI members are working to combine composites and sensors into more efficient and cost-effective solutions, according to Dods.
The biggest challenge facing the composite materials industry is the ability to scale the technologies that are now available to meet demand.
“As we focus on automotive, our target is to have scale where we can produce for a 100,000-vehicle product and being able to hit cycle times in the order of about three minutes or less, then being able to line up the secured supply chains for the OEMs,” he says. “I think what”s holding the explosion of composites back is having the security of the supply chains that the current automotive OEMs have.”
Overall, the U.S. composite materials market grew by 3.7% last year, with a total value of $8 billion, according to the American Composites Manufacturers Association. By 2022, that total value figure is expected to top $10 billion, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9%.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column_inner][fusion_builder_column_inner type=”1_3″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” dimension_margin=”undefined” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no” border_position=”all”][fusion_text]
“I THINK WHAT’S
HOLDING THE
EXPLOSION OF
COMPOSITES BACK IS
HAVING THE
SECURITY OF THE
SUPPLY CHAINS THAT
THE CURRENT
AUTOMOTIVE OEMS HAVE.”
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column_inner][/fusion_builder_row_inner][fusion_text]
IACMI is comprised of 155 members and was launched two years ago through Manufacturing USA, a public/private partnership funded by the U.S. Department of Energy that also includes the CESMII (Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute), ARM (Advanced Robotics Manufacturing) and AIM Photonics (American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics). The Institute’s current focus is on advanced composites for vehicle technologies, wind turbines and compressed gas storage, though it is branching out into aerospace, oil and gas, infrastructure and other composite-friendly spaces.
Bryan Dods will share insights on breakthroughs in new materials at Chief Executive’s Smart Manufacturing Summit on May 17 in Seattle. For more information and to register, visit smartmanufacturingsummit.com. To learn more about the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, visit iacmi.org.
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]