Keep in mind that training is an excellent way to support DMC’s technical sessions! If you have an effective training course that meets a demand in manufacturing for Department of Defense (DoD) needs and relates to the technical topics being offered at this year’s conference, submit your descriptive abstract for an opportunity to present your training. Training sessions are great for attendees new to DMC or just needing a refresher. Training courses will be held on Monday morning, December 11.

The Advanced Manufacturing Enterprise (AME) subpanel is requesting abstracts for presentations to be given at DMC 2023. The abstract should not exceed 300 words and should explicitly identify the specific thrust area, best practice, or lesson learned that will be presented. Presentations should be no longer than 30 minutes including 5 minutes for speaker introduction and questions. Presentations on the following topics will be given preference:

1. Model-Based Engineering for Defense Systems
2. Digital Information Visualization for Manufacturing
3. Robotics and Automation for Manufacturing
4. Digital Technologies for Advanced Manufacturing

More information about DMC 2023 preferred topics is provided below.

Topic 1: Model-Based Engineering for Defense Systems
Description: The mass decentralization of manufacturing systems and ever-increasing complexity of supply chains have sharpened the lens on the proper handling of data. Data remains the true currency of modern enterprises. Yet, the Defense Industrial Base and Department of Defense still face challenges in data curation, data exchange, and efficient modeling. The AME Subpanel invites presentations to spark discussions on innovative solutions in model-based engineering for DoD platforms. Potential topics of interests include but are not limited to:

• Digitalization in production systems through smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 approaches
• Approaches for model-based systems engineering to expedite acquisition, particularly those driving earlier consideration of production, supply, and operations impacts
• Successful applications of product life cycle management, ensuring rigorous configuration control from product definition through manufacturing and disposition
• Design and orchestration of production systems (including supply chains)
• Manufacturing data exchange standards (adoption, implementation, and gaps finding)
• Digital threads and/or digital twins for decision making
• Innovative modeling techniques for supply networks/webs
• Application of machine learning and artificial intelligence within system-level decision making
• Approaches to improve cybersecurity at the manufacturing enterprise

Topic 2: Digital Information Visualization for Manufacturing
Description: Advanced visualization technologies, such as augmented reality, virtual reality, and visual analytics, have become a cornerstone of the digitally connected manufacturing revolutions, i.e., Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing. Organizations across the DoD and Defense Industrial Base have already reaped immense benefit by leveraging visualization technologies. However, challenges still remain, including (i) the inherit disconnect between engineering software and visualization interfaces, (ii) infrastructure requirements for model-tracking and other AR-support features, and (iii) virtual scene content authoring and management, to name a few. The AME Subpanel invites presentations to spark discussions on innovation solutions in digital information visualization for manufacturing and sustainment applications. Potential topics of interests include but are not limited to:

• Visual analytics for dashboard-based decision making on the production floor
• Interactive network visualizations for supply chains
• Workforce development training via extended reality approaches
• Advanced parsing and visualization approaches for text-retrieval applications
• Mixed reality technologies for human-machine engagement
• Augmented reality technologies for enhanced situational awareness in manufacturing environments
• Approaches to mitigate interoperability challenges for industrial extended reality
• Advances in visualization hardware for DoD applications
• Application of machine learning and artificial intelligence within visualization systems
• Approaches to improve cybersecurity of industrial extended reality
• Technologies for re-use of engineering design data (CAD or other) on mobile devices in the factory

Topic 3: Robotics and Automation for Manufacturing
Description: Industrial robots have already revolutionized production environments. In recent years, robotic platforms have significantly evolved, becoming more agile, safe, and collaborative. In manufacturing contexts, emerging robotic technologies are now shifting away from monumental and stationary installations towards small and more flexible systems. Through robotics, the goal of bringing the process to the part is more attainable than ever. However, challenges still exist for (i) enabling multi-robot coordination in single build volumes, (ii) modeling continuous manufacturing process, such as painting processes, to facilitate complex automated path planning, and (iii) incorporating human involvement in optimizing production plans. The AME Subpanel invites presentations to spark discussions on innovation solutions in robotics and automation for manufacturing and sustainment applications. Potential topics of interests include but are not limited to:

• Agile robotic automation for high mix / low volume / high variability production
• Production process modeling for intelligent, agile robotic automation
• Optimization of robot-assisted manufacturing tasks, including approaches for adaptive near-real-time path and process planning
• Mobile robotics in unstructured environments, such as depots
• Human-machine interaction for automation systems
• Multi-robot and or multi-human teaming and coordination of production process control and execution
• Scalability for automation and robotics
• Agile robotic non-destructive inspection
• Application of machine learning and artificial intelligence within industrial robotics and automation
• Approaches to improve cybersecurity of industrial robotics and automation

Topic 4: Digital Technologies for Advanced Manufacturing
Description: Industry 4.0 leverages the advancements in information technology (IT) for operational technology (OT). The introduction of such digital technologies, e.g., machine learning, advanced sensors, and process control, has transformed the manufacturing environment. Yet, there still remains technical gaps in introduction of digital models and workflows for (i) enhanced in-situ monitoring, (ii) expedited part and process qualification, and (iii) improved data traceability for sustainment. The AME Subpanel invites presentations to spark discussions on innovation solutions in digital technologies for advanced manufacturing. Potential topics of interests include but are not limited to:

• Data-driven approaches (e.g., machine learning) for expediting part, process, and machine qualification
• Data curation techniques for manufacturing data to facilitate well-informed sustainment decisions
• In-situ control of advanced processes via data-driven techniques
• Process-informed design space exploration for emerging manufacturing processes
• Advances in capability modeling for manufacturing processes
• Interoperability of manufacturing data with traditional engineering architectures
• Convergent/hybrid manufacturing approaches enabled through digital solutions, e.g, robot-assisted incremental manufacturing
• Application of machine learning and artificial intelligence on the factory floor
• Approaches to improve cybersecurity on the factory floor

In-Space, Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) is a fast-growing manufacturing sector that supports long-term goals in both commercial and defense mission areas. Recently, the White House published guidance for an ISAM national strategy and implementation plan encouraging growth and development of the many technologies required to support the next generation of space missions. Although commercial in-space servicing technology is burgeoning, the growth of in-space assembly and manufacturing is slowed due to the complex nature of technical challenges posed by the space environment and insufficient existing infrastructure. Mastering assembly and manufacturing in space could improve our space assets’ resilience, overcome terrestrial manufacturing limitations, accelerate on-orbit timelines, and maintain the United States’ status as a leader in the space domain.

This track will provide a forum to discuss processes, methods, best practices, lessons learned, case studies, and success stories related to Assembly and Manufacturing in Space. Presentations are welcomed from any individual or group pursuing assembly and manufacturing of space hardware on-orbit for use in space.

Possible Assembly and Manufacturing in Space topics include but are not limited to:

1. Development of guidance and roadmaps
2. Logistical issues and challenges
3. Synergy with defense applications
4. Success stories and lessons learned
5. Use of non-defense technologies for defense purposes
6. Coordination of issues within or between services and agencies
7. Innovative practices and technologies
8. Advantages and benefits (Cost, tech adv, time, etc.)
9. DoD/industry partnerships
10. Testing and verification
11. Robotics (AI, ML, V&V, etc.)
12. Requirements, standards and procedures
13. Demystifying manufacturing on-orbit
14. Materials joining
15. Facilities

Biotechnology has been identified as a critical technology area by the Under Security of Defense for Research and Engineering:

Biotechnology is an emerging engineering discipline that uses living systems to produce a wide range of technologies and capabilities. From fighting global pandemics and avoiding surprises to reducing logistics and sustainment costs and increasing energy efficiency, biotechnology can help change the way the Department conducts missions, performs in contested logistics environments, and adapts to major global changes.

Biotechnology applications have already leveraged biology’s disruptive capabilities. We aim to accelerate those technological advancements by building biotechnology capabilities to support a wide range of DoD needs. Developing the U.S. biotechnology industrial base is necessary to demonstrate and hasten the transition of biotechnological solutions to defense applications in areas such as agile infrastructure, sustainment, distributed/point of need manufacturing, supply chain resilience/diversification, and warfighter readiness and performance. We are soliciting submissions that articulate the use of biology with direct impact on materials, processes, tools, or technologies in materials, manufacturing, and sustainment for defense applications, in four major areas:

• Creating Materials: Biomanufacturing (specialty chemicals and materials including, but not limited to, fuels, polymers, composites, fibers, solvents); biofabrication (living materials, tissue scaffolds, organ-on-chip); biomaterials; biocementation
• Sustaining Materials: Decontamination of aircraft/vehicles/infrastructure, mitigation of biocorrosion, erosion-resistant coatings (e.g., reduce sand/rain erosion on helicopter blades), chrome-free anticorrosion primers
• Decommissioning Materials: Bioremediation such as PFAS mitigation, designed lifetime materials (using biology to program functionality and lifetime into materials); biomining/bioleaching/bioseparation (harvesting and recycling of critical minerals and chemicals)
• Therapeutics: Biological therapeutics to enhance Warfighter return to duty, including the manufacturing processes necessary to produce these products in a commercially sustainable way. This can also include healthcare delivery platforms to mitigate supply chain challenges and other logistics limitations.

Presentations MUST be framed for the DMC audience and have a significant focus on educating that audience in biological concepts/benefits and how they compare to traditional manufacturing processes and synthetic chemistry. Presentations that include brief, high-impact demonstration(s) of biological concepts are highly encouraged. Abstracts that share the relevant details of biotechnology advancements, demonstrations, transitions, and transition risk reduction to products that increase the manufacturing readiness levels of enabling technologies addressing warfighter needs throughout the product life cycle will be given priority.

Composite structures provide the DoD with an unparalleled strength to weight ratio while improving the mission capability performance and sustainability of systems across the DoD Services and Agencies. Advanced designs providing unprecedented capabilities continue to push at the leading edge of manufacturing and assembly capabilities. This coupled with the cost pressures to do more without more and create a highly responsive industrial base that can pivot as fast as the needs and the requirements must be empowered by next generation processing, fabrication, assembly, and repair technologies. Defense mission scenarios are beyond the requirement of most commercial applications requiring the next level of innovation. Even attritable aircraft which may be more amenable to commercial processes still need to tightly balance weight, strength, fuel capacity, cost, loiter, and speed.

The Composite Structures Fabrication and Assembly track at the 2023 Defense Manufacturing Conference invites you to submit an abstract for presentation to share the art of the possible in composites manufacturing, assembly, and sustainment. Presentations should be prepared which will share the technical details of advancements, demonstrations, transition, and transition risk reduction to systems requirements by increasing the manufacturing readiness levels of enabling technologies addressing warfighter needs.

This track will provide a forum to discuss processes, methods, best practices, lessons learned, case studies, and success stories related to the advancements in manufacturing, assembly, and sustainment of composite-based structures. Most desirable are abstracts for which the intent is to share sufficient technical information to provide a springboard to process improvements for the attendees. Sales pitches are not invited.

Possible composite structures manufacturing topics include but are not limited to:

1. Manufacturing for Composites:
1. Organic matrix (thermoset & thermoplastic), ceramic matrix, and carbon matrix
2. Polymeric additive manufacturing
3. Rapid response manufacturing/assembly enabling agility in composites design/manufacturing in a low volume high mix environment
4. Manufacturing of low-cost and attritable structures
5. Automation & robotics
6. Integrated structures
7. Joining and assembly of single and multi-material assemblies
8. Process modeling and adaptive processing
9. Leveraging industry 4.0
10. Applications of artificial intelligence / machine learning in composites manufacturing
11. Repair/sustainment processing technologies
12. Manufacturing resiliency

The Department of Defense continues to invest in advance High Power Microwave capabilities. Advances in HPM weapons system performance relies on state-of-the-art base technologies not required for other military or commercial applications. The US Industrial Base and government Manufacturing Technology activities are working closely to ensure the timely and cost-effective provision of military grade materials, technologies, and components for system integration and delivery as first units equipped (FUE). We are soliciting presentations from industry and government relevant to the current state of the HPM industrial base, key technologies and components, anticipated and current challenges, and lessons learned for presentation at the Defense Manufacturing Conference.

This track will provide a forum to discuss processes, methods, best practices, lessons learned, case studies, and success stories related to Assembly and Manufacturing of HPM systems and sub-system assemblies. Presentations are welcomed from any individual or group pursuing assembly and manufacturing of HPM hardware in a military application.

Possible High Power Microwave manufacturing topics include but are not limited to:

1. Automation in manufacturing of HPM components
2. Assembly/Test processes to integrate into Line Replaceable Amplifier Modules
3. Compact power technologies
4. Optimization of SWaP of HPM components
5. HPM manufacturing requirements, standards, and procedures
6. High voltage, high efficiency power supplies

The Department of Defense has an aggressive schedule for developing and fielding High Energy Lasers (HEL) with combat capabilities. The US Industrial Base and government Manufacturing Technology activities are working closely to ensure the timely and cost-effective provision of military grade materials, technologies, and components for system integration and delivery as first units equipped (FUE). We are soliciting presentations from industry and government relevant to the current state of the HEL industrial base, key technologies and components, anticipated and current challenges, and lessons learned for presentation at the Defense Manufacturing Conference.

This track will provide a forum to discuss processes, methods, best practices, lessons learned, case studies, and success stories related to Assembly and Manufacturing of HEL components, systems, and sub-systems. Presentations are welcomed from any individual or group pursuing assembly and manufacturing of High Energy Lasers for military applications.

Possible High Energy Laser manufacturing topics include but are not limited to:

1. Metrology standards for HEL Optics
2. Manufacturing for low SWaP HEL components
3. Automation in manufacturing of HEL components
4. Success stories and lessons learned
5. Innovative practices and technologies
6. Testing and verification
7. HEL manufacturing requirements, standards, and procedures
8. Supply chain bottlenecks
9. Manufacturing for process repeatability and component reliability
10. Thermal management systems for HEL applications
11. Scalability of HEL components

The Electronics Processing and Fabrication Subpanel is requesting abstracts for the DMC 2023 on key electronics issues and solutions directly related to current defense-related manufacturing activities. In addition, current ongoing Manufacturing Technology programs funded by DoD or its departments are encouraged to submit abstracts that show the accomplishments and the Warfighter impacts of their programs and efforts. The combined effect of military budget constraints, rapid changes in electronics technology, and the need to deliver superior and affordable weapons to our Warfighters continues to challenge the defense manufacturing community. Compounding the technology challenge is the requirement to sustain many of our existing weapon systems well beyond their original lifetimes. Papers, posters and presentations are sought that address the challenges and offer innovative manufacturing technology solutions that will keep our Warfighters second-to-none on any battlefield.

Suggested topics of selected interest include but are not limited to:

• Electro-Optics Technologies
• EO Sensor and Night Vision Systems (including Infrared Focal Plane Array (IRFPA)
• Optical Communications and Networking
• Analog Photonic Applications (e.g., beam forming, true time delay, antenna links)
• Laser Systems and Optics (domes, windows, lens, coatings, etc.)

• RF System and Vacuum Tube Component Technologies
• Innovative RF Module Manufacturing Processes, Packaging and Materials
• High Power Amplifier Manufacturing & Thermal Management
• RF Circuit Integration
• Non-Hermetic RF Module Manufacturing & Reliability
• RF System and Component Technologies
• RF System SWAP, Functionality, and Sustainability Enhancement
• Directed Energy Enabling Technologies, and Processes to Enable their Manufacture
• Vacuum Electron, Solid State, Non-linear Transmission Line and other Devices

• Electronics Packaging & Assembly
• High Reliability Packaging and/or Automated Precision Packaging
• System On a Chip (SOC)
• Embedded Actives and Passives
• High Density Substrates and/or MEMS- Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Packaging
• Advanced Thermal Management
• Affordable Anti-Tamper Microelectronics

• Printed Electronics and Other Innovative & Disruptive Electronics Manufacturing Technologies
• Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing Technology
• Additive Electronics Manufacturing
• Nano Electro Mechanical Systems (NEMS)
• Innovative Nano-Processing for Microelectronics
• Advanced CNT Processing for Microelectronics Devices and Thermal Management
• Graphene Carbon Technologies

• Integrated Photonics Technologies
• High Speed Optical transmissions
• Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs)
• Photonic Interconnects for Hi-Performance Info Processing Systems
• Optical Waveguides and Nonlinear Optical Integration
• Free-space optical communications
• Photonic Imager and Display Systems

• Flexible Hybrid Electronics
• Hybrid electronics is the convergence of printed electronic and traditional Electronics Packaging & Assembly.
• Topic areas in addition to other sessions: 3D hybrid electronics, integration of electronics and 3D structures
• Harsh environment electronics leveraging hybrid electronics
• Integration of electronics into structural elements
• Manufacturing processes that demonstrate hybrid electronics

• Other Manufacturing USA Institute Topics
• Integration of electronics into fibers and textile structures (For example, Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA))
• Electronic sensors and manufacturing process controls for bio-fabrication (For example, Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) / BioFabUSA)
• Electronic sensors and manufacturing process controls for bio-fabrication (For example, Bioindustrial manufacturing innovation institute)

• Power and Energy Sources
• Production base for energy storage and generating devices and components/materials
• Advanced manufacturing initiatives for batteries and fuel cells
• Designing weapon systems for the use of batteries and fuel cells
• Disruptive energy technologies
• Making Advanced energy storage and generation devices cost effective

Selection criteria will include relevance to manufacturing and meeting Warfighter needs. Other topics of interest will also be considered to include any electronics-related topics from the Manufacturing USA Institutes. Selected papers may be used to introduce and support interactive panel discussions or be recommended for poster presentations.

Energetics and Munitions is a critical manufacturing sector within US Department of Defense (DoD) that supports long-term goals in defense mission areas. Recent events have enforced the need to enhance manufacturing for present and future weapon systems, subsystems, and components to ensure performance at an affordable cost. Requirements of the warfighter and discussions on issues and solutions impacting affordable manufacturing of superior systems and platforms are evolving. Additionally, technology advancements are growing at faster pace through close collaboration with other DoD services, industry and academia and it is critical to ensure the energetics and munitions manufacturing base is ready to incorporate these new advancements at a rapid pace. Mastering manufacturing in defense will improve our assets’ resilience, overcome manufacturing limitations, accelerate timelines, and maintain the United States’ status as a leader in the defense domain.

This meeting will provide a forum to discuss materials, processes, methods, results, lessons learned, and success stories related to Energetics and Munitions in Defense. Presentations are welcomed from any individual or group pursuing energetics and munitions for use in defense.

Possible Energetics and Munitions in Defense topics include but are not limited to:

1. New or improved manufacturing techniques/methods;
2. Environmental impacts and resolutions;
3. Life cycle issues such as demilitarization, sustainment, and repair;
4. Fuze and additive manufacturing for energetics;
5. Requirements, standards and procedures
6. Advantages and benefits (Cost, tech adv, time, etc.)
7. DoD/industry partnerships
8. Testing and verification
9. Robotics (AI, ML, V&V, etc.)
10. Facilities

If you have an abstract that meets a demand in manufacturing for Department of Defense (DoD) needs and does not fit under the umbrella of the established technical topics being offered, we still want to hear from you. We are looking for "Innovative Manufacturing" ideas and concepts to propel our DoD and joint forces.

The JDMTP-sponsored Manufacturing Readiness Level Working Group is soliciting abstracts for its sessions during this year’s Defense Manufacturing Conference. The Working Group plans to fill out the session slots with a mix of invited presenters and selected abstracts. You are invited to submit abstracts covering a variety of Manufacturing Readiness Level topics.

Possible Manufacturing Readiness Level topics include but are not limited to:

1. Lessons learned/challenges encountered when applying/implementing MRLs within your program or company
2. Ways you have adapted/applied the MRL tools or discipline to maximize the value and benefits of manufacturing readiness
3. Capturing the cost and productivity benefits identified through MRL use

Only submit abstracts in which the intent is to share sufficient technical information to provide a complete story on the value or challenges of MRLs. We are not seeking company marketing pitches, but rather real world MRL application experiences. Your presentation must articulate the use of the MRL Assessment process to advance manufacturing maturity and readiness for consideration.

Soft materials, from biomaterials to engineering polymers to novel elastomers, offer robust, tailorable solutions to commercial and defense problem sets. From microscopic manipulation of formulation to macroscopic control during manufacturing, innovative soft materials can be used tailored to suit a wide variety of industrial needs. Consequently, academic and commercial entities have heavily invested in advanced manufacturing of polymeric materials. Much effort has been put toward harnessing unique properties of soft materials and accelerating product development cycles using emerging manufacturing technologies. This effort has facilitated rapid maturity of advanced manufacturing processes for many commercial applications. Though there have been many successfully-fielded defense-related soft matter products, the defense space is still markedly slower in adopting advanced manufacturing techniques for production of new soft matter products. Fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the capabilities of advanced manufacturing techniques for soft materials is a critical facet of defense modernization.

This session will provide a forum to discuss advances in soft materials manufacturing, demonstrate use cases for soft materials to facilitate metal and ceramic materials solutions or when other solutions are not viable, and introduce successfully transitioned DoD, commercial, and academic soft materials and advanced manufacturing programs. Both industrial and academic partners are welcomed to present their efforts within this field.

Possible Soft Materials in Advanced Manufacturing topics included but are not limited to:

1. Emerging soft materials manufacturing techniques/alternatives to legacy techniques
2. Benchtop to fielded soft materials pipeline – Successfully scaled and transitioned soft matter-centric programs
3. Soft Materials as technology enablers/use of soft materials in traditionally metal or ceramic applications
4. Successful pathways to scalability for additively manufactured polymer parts and devices
5. Showcasing alternatives to fuses filament fabrication AM: e.g., vat polymerization-based additive manufacturing techniques OR comparing and contrasting the different soft matter AM techniques and how they have been used industrially
6. Emerging soft matter AM technologies
7. Soft materials for nontraditional manufacturing, e.g. ammunition and energetics
8. Utilizing the soft materials manufacturing industrial base to rapidly field new products

Sample talks:

1. The role of soft materials in addressing gaps in DoD capabilities - an Army ST’s perspective
2. Additively manufactured polymeric materials for corrosion resistance in salt-heavy environments
3. Expanding the Defense Industrial Base for advanced soft material manufacturing
4. New and emerging technologies to enable advanced soft materials manufacturing: Coupling research and development to DoD applications

Presentations within the Metals track will highlight projects that reduce cost and cycle time, improve manufacturing capability, and increase performance or producibility of metals, with special emphasis to projects funded through the DoD ManTech, RIF and IBIF programs. Topics of interest to the Metals Processing and Fabrication Subpanel include:

1. Advanced Manufacturing Processes:
1. Advanced joining technologies to include new processes, process improvements, new alloys, and dissimilar metal/material joining
2. Advanced forming/machining technologies
3. Additive manufacturing of metals
4. Process models on material effects to guide the factory floor fabrication process
5. Technologies to mitigate the long lead times for DOD castings and forgings
2. Qualification and Certification:
1. Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME)
2. Nondestructive inspection techniques for novel processes
3. Effects of defects
4. Rapid qualification approaches for metals processing methods and end-use parts
3. Design/Sustainment:
1. Design for manufacturability of metal components
2. Lightweighting of system designs
3. Life extension of legacy parts (i.e., manufacturing technology for repair, reset, and or upgrades)
4. Repair of high value components to extend life at reduced cost
5. DOD curation of repair process information
4. Tailorable Materials
1. Performance-based Non-Destructive Evaluation/Inspection standards
2. Non-Destructive Evaluation/Inspection detection methods
3. Development of modeling and simulation packages that can accurately integrate multiple-material components from chemistry through processing to final properties
4. Communication of local material requirements
1. Embedding technical data packages in components
2. Digital twins
5. Material substitutions
5. Manufacturing at the Point of Need
1. Manufacturing technologies suitable for expeditionary deployment
6. Comprehensive Inspection Strategy for Future Manufacturing Technologies
1. In-process NDE monitoring to inform and reduce post-production inspection requirements
2. In-situ processing adaptations based on in-process inspection/monitoring
3. Incorporation of COTS sensors into manufacturing processes
4. Using data gathering to inform better manufacturing processes
7. Supply Chain
1. Technologies and approaches to improve the metal components supply chain in terms availability, alternative suppliers, or reduced cycle time or cost.

The benefits of robotic automation in manufacturing are numerous, yet many segments of the DoD’s commercial and industrial base have not benefited. Many of the DoD’s more complex and expensive systems rely on low-volume, high-mix manufacturing, for which robotics technology is just beginning to acquire sufficient agility to be practical. DoD sustainment can represent an even more extreme case, where the variation between work pieces leads to the saying that "every part is a snowflake". The DoD also has large assets like ships and aircraft, where robotic scalability challenges lead to massive, monumental systems that are expensive and lack agility. Then there are particular products, such as energetics and garments, that pose special challenges to robotic automation, even though they represent high-volume production environments where robots are usually well established.

This track will provide a forum to discuss processes, methods, best practices, lessons learned, case studies, research, and success stories for novel robotic automation technologies and applications. Presentations are welcomed from any individual or group pursuing such technologies in the context of manufacturing and/or sustainment for the Department of Defense.

Possible topics include but are not limited to:

• Agile robots that adapt to task, workpiece, & environmental variability
• Mobile robots, including mobile robotic manipulators for in situ production
• Human-robot interaction and collaboration, including extended reality interfaces
• Multi-robot, multi-human teaming
• Safety for mobile and collaborative robotics
• Robotic intelligence, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, production process modeling, and human expertise capture
• Rapid deployment and commissioning of robotic systems
• Challenges of employing robotic technologies in depot/sustainment environments
• Robotics for point of need manufacturing
• Robotics for high-volume production of challenging products (e.g., garments, energetics)
• Work force development
• Telerobotics