AM Business Model Wargame Planning Group Call – Minutes
26 September 2017
On 26 September 2017, the Additive Manufacturing Wargame Planning Group conducted a teleconference to discuss the “Future Focus Areas” for the group. The input will help guide future WG actions and be included in the AM BM Wargame Final Report.
Below are some key points from the meeting:
Input received prior to the call: The below comments were received prior to the call:
- One conclusion reached from the AM BM WG was that further guidance would assist the community in contracting for AM. Burglar is taking the lead to develop Navy guidance that could become DoD guidance downstream. Let’s work this in to the conclusion and potential next steps portion of the AM BM WG report. (Greg Kilchenstein)
- The wargame scenario should start to fill in gaps from what we have done to date to what needs to be done to get to that end point. Identifying those gaps and war gaming to inform them would be the direction I would go. The future focus areas are gaps on that path. (Jim Regenor)
- Although I am confident that both topic areas merit the investment of our time and attention, I personally favor the development of the DOD AM Contracting Guide. (Jim Pluta)
- Also, if done in addition to or in place of a third annual wargame, do we need to wait until May 2018? I’m curious if we think there is room for a semiannual frequency for our wargame series. Most of the participants I spoke to felt that we could and would afford to break free twice yearly to support the AM-related initiatives to increase the speed of our progress. (Jim Pluta)
- We’ve got two efforts that are different enough that I think they should remain distinct. I like having a Wargame focusing on gaps or developing new material, assessing the theoretical, etc. For the Contracting Guide, for which at some point I see the future WG set up to put it together coming together in a large group at least a couple of times, I see it more as the development of language and content and review, breaking up into many smaller groups of a few people who will generate the actual “contractual legaleze” that will go into it. …….…..So, Wargame – develop new stuff. Contracting guide – nitty gritty putting together of the document. (CAPT Kurdian)
- We need a “live fire exercise” to better understand the interaction of the technical and contractual constraints associated with procuring AM parts. What I am proposing is a pathfinder exercise that spans from a DLA request to use AM to fabricate a component (issue a 339) to approval for use from the ESA / Engineering authority within the specific services. The deliverable would be an introductory process / policy for the identification and approval of components for use in sustainment that could benefit from AM plus the qualification of a class of parts that would have an immediate time and costs savings. (Fred Herman)
Discussion During Call:
- The planning group was fully supportive of developing different working groups to work select issues/gaps. These WG would meet sooner and would be in addition to the wargame/workshop in May 2018.
- The group would like its’ efforts to have defined products including working policy into them when possible. The planning group prefers incremental movements occurring sooner, rather than waiting until May for another Wargame exercise.
- Greg Kilchenstein mentioned that Steve Dobesh is working on getting resources to apply toward the development/study of a block-chain capability.
- Tom Naguy stated that the USAF’s major obstacle with implementing AM is the secure transmission of data.
- Fred Herman described his “Live Fire Exercise” idea. Bill Sikorsky suggested that it might be time to look at the technical issues to at least identify the issues that exist, though probably not attempt to solve the technical issues since we are not the community to establish the certification and qualification process. Greg K agreed that we cannot assume away the technical issues, and that we can identify those pieces and address them to the technical community.
- Marilyn Gaska will discuss the “Family of Parts” working group at the next AMMO Call on 4 October. The WG is looking at the identification of technical requirements for certification and qualification for “classes of parts”.
- Greg K summed up 4 possible working groups:
- Development of a AM Contracting Guide – Suggested CAPT Kurdian as the lead based on the work he is doing with the Navy
- Development of Acquisition Policy Language – Suggested Howie may be interested in leading
- How to secure Data Transmission for AM and the Digital Thread – Steve Dobesh may be interested in serving as the lead
- End-to-End “Pathfinder” study that looks at the process from contracting to delivery. A recommended lead is DLA.
- The identified working groups could begin work much sooner than May.
- Greg K suggested a face-to-face workshop for the planning group early in the calendar year. This would be a great opportunity for the working groups to brief their work to date.
Action Items:
- Send out updated “Future Focus Areas” and “Conclusion” sections of the AM BM Wargame II report to the Working Group for final comments (LMI)
- Comment on updated sections of AM BM Wargame II report. (All)
- Reach out to suggested Group leaders for commitment and development of a “mission statement” (OSD/LMI)
- Schedule next teleconference (LMI)
Next Meeting: – The next AM Business Model Wargame planning call will be scheduled for mid October.
POC Ray Langlais, LMI, rlanglais@lmi.org (571) 633-8019