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A Automdtinci History of the I Automated ' Future the I Manufacturing Research QC 100 .U57 N0.967 I InstituteofStandardsandTe 2001 jyAdministration, U.S. DepartmentofCommerce c. 3. AUTOMATING THE FUTURE A HISTORY OF THE AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING RESEARCH FACILITY 1980-1995 NIST Special Publication 967 Joan M. Zenzen Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory National InstituteofStandardsand Technology Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899-8200 March 2001 U.S. DEPARTMENTOFCOMMERCE DonaldL.Evans,Secretary TechnologyAdministration KarenH.Brown,ActingUnderSecretaryforTechnology National InstituteofStandardsandTechnology KarenH.Brown,ActingDirector DisclaimerStatement Commercialequipmentandmaterialsareidentifiedinordertospecifyadequatelycertainproceduresand/orresearch. Innocasedoessuch identificationimplyrecommendationorendorsementbytheNIST,nordoesitimplythatthematerialsorequipmentidentifiedarenecessarilythe bestavailableforthepurpose. NationalInstituteofStandardsandTechnologySpecial Publication967 Natl. Inst.Stand.Technol.Spec. Publ.967, 104pages(March2001) CODEN:NSPUE2 U.S.GOVERNMENTPRINTINGOFFICE-WASHINGTON:2001 ForsalebytheSuperintende—ntofDocuments,U.S.Gove—rnmentPrintingOffice Internet:bookstore.gpo.gov Phone:(202)512-1800 Fax:(202)512-2250 Mail:StopSSOP,Washington,DC20402-0001 CONTENTS ListofFigures iv Foreword v Acknowledgments vi Chapters 1 Measuring forManufacturing 1 2 Envisioning aFuturewith Automation 9 3 Magical Manufacturing 25 4 Graduation 49 5 Legacy 73 Appendixes 1 Acronyms 83 2 Awards 84 3 Standards 85 4 Donations 86 5 Industrial ResearchAssociates 88 6 Patents 89 7 Products 90 8 ThesisResearch 91 9 AcademicConnections 92 10 Personal Interviews 93 Bibliography 94 AbouttheAuthor 98 Automated Manufacturing Research Facility iii FIGURES 1 The robotarm oftheTurningWorkstation 1 2 RobertJ. Hocken 12 3 Drill-Up 18 4 VisitorsviewedtheAMRFthroughawall ofwindows 26 5 Horizontal Workstation 29 6 VerticalWorkstation 30 7 Turning Workstation 30 8 Inspection Workstation 31 9 Cleaning and Deburring Workstation 31 10 Materials Handling System 32 11 Smokestacks Design 33 12 JamesAlbus 40 13 Horizontal Workstation's robotvision system 41 14 Horizontal Workstation robotgripper 42 15 TurningWorkstation 42 16 1983AMRFfloormap 47 17 Demonstration ofVertical Workstation'sautomated process planning system 53 18 Cleaning and Deburring Workstation 54 19 TheAdvanced Deburring and Chamfering System (ADACS) 54 20 Inspection Workstation 55 21 TurningWorkstation 56 22 1986AMRFfloormap 61 23 Mare Island Flexible Manufacturing Workstation 63 24 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Level FastenerWorkstation 65 I 25 National Advanced Manufacturing Testbed (NAMT) 81 National Institute of Standards and Technology FOREWORD HE TECHNICALSTORY ofthe National Institute ofStandardsand Technology's (NIST's)Automated Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF) is, in fact, thestoryofthe integration of robots, computers, and machinetools into "thefreeworld's largestand mostadvanced public research facilityforthestudyof automated manufacturing," according tothe December 1986 issue ofAmericanMachinistmagazine. Whilethe technical aspectsthat led upto and weretheAMRF have been covered in depth in documentsand conference presentations, little has been written aboutthe researcherswhoactuallyconceivedthe ideafortheAMRFand made ita reality, and howtheydidthat. As NIST preparedtocelebrate its centennial in 2001, each laboratorywasaskedto makeacontributiontothe celebration. Richard H. F.Jackson, Directorofthe Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory(MEL) atthetime, hadalready identified thevoid inthe historical documentation oftheAMRFand realized such a historywould betheperfect item for MEL tocontributetothecentennial. He had theforesightto contractwith an established historian andwriterto producethat history. Thisdocument, the resultofthateffort, isan outstanding contributiontothe NIST Centennial Celebration and more than fillsthevoidthatJackson identified. Mythanksto Ricfor his ideaand totheauthorfor making ita reality. Raymond G. Kammer Former Director, NIST Automated Manufacturing Research Facility v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ANY FOLKS HAVE CONTRIBUTEDtothis historyaboutthepeoplewho coordinated robots, computers, and machinetools intotheAutomated Manufacturing Research Facility(AMRF). Atthe ; 4 National InstituteofStandardsandTechnology(NIST), Joan Wellington in the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory(MEL) provided invaluablesupportthroughoutthe process. Shetracked down | documentation, identified peoplefor interviews, and facilitatedthewriting and revising stages. Harry Brooksand theother NIST librarianscheerfullyand professionallyfielded mymanyguestionsabouttechnical and congressional documents. NIST historian LisaGreenhouse pointed meto biographical files inthe NISTArchivesand found some photographs. Jim Schooleygraciouslyallowed measneakpeakof his Centennial historyof NIST, Respondingto NationalNeeds. Barbara Hornersentoutpages ofthedraftmanuscripttothemanyintervieweesand reviewersand valiantly kepttrackofall responsessothat I could incorporatethem intothe revisedtext. Howard Bloom, firstas MELdeputydirector and then as MELacting director, enthusiasticallyembracedthis projectand ensuredthat had thesupportand resources I neededto getthe historydone. Hisstaff inthe laboratoryoffice, especially RosalieAvant, Cathy Graham, Norma Purcell, and John Slotwinski, made mefeel welcomeand comfortableas I conducted researchand completedthe book. Avantalsotyped in someoftheappendixes. Mike Schmitt helped with someadministrativequestions. NISTattorneys Michael Rubin and Mark Madsen madesuretheoral history interviewees had properwaivers. Paul Vasalloand SandyKelleyaidedthe process of initiating thecontractforthis book. Former MEL Director RicJackson recognizedthevalue ofa historyoftheAMRFand securedthefunding for itswriting. Heshared his own thoughtsaboutthesignificance ofthefacilityand allowed meto sift throughthedocumentationand make myown interpretations. He, alongwith Howard Bloom, JamesAlbus, Phil Nanzetta, John Slotwinski, Charles McLean, Don Eitzen, JoanWellington,John Simpson, and ErnestAmbler, readtheentiredraft manuscriptand provided invaluablecomments. BeamieYoung created astriking bookcoverand shepherded the manuscript through the printing process. Bill Welshturnedthe manuscript intoan attractiveand readable book. Special thanks goesto each ofthe people I interviewed, whosestories madetheAMRF comealive. Dian and Brian Belangerconnected mewiththe peopleat NISTand reminded methat "stay-at-home" moms (even me with a Ph.D.) could balance homeandwork. Mychildren, Sarah andAaron, keptmefocused on the importantstuff, withstood myoccasional absences, and alwaysgave me hugsand kisseswhen returned. Myhusband StuartWeinstein encouraged me I and supported methroughoutthis project. He read everypage ofthemanuscriptand keptourhomecomputerfrom running awaywith mybits. I dedicatethis bookto myfather, Nick E. Zenzen, and my brother, NickJ. Zenzen, both ofwhomtaughtme the beautyofmachines. and Technology > Chapter One MEASURING FOR MANUFACTURING WATCHING A ROBOT AND MACHINE TOOL manufacture a widget is like watching a graceful dance. First, you hear the steady rhythm of a person typing a command into the computerterminal. Bitsofinformationstreamthroughsiliconchips and are routedthrough a maze ofnetworks, directing the performance as apart order is entered into the system. Then, you hear the motorized humming of a robot cart, rear red lights flashing alternately to the same staccato beatofthe typing. Once the cart reaches theworkstation, the robot, stout and squat at its base but longandextendedofarm, gripsthedesiredmetalblankandsweeps itintothe airincontrolled, preciselydirected movements. The gripper head twirls almost 360 degrees while theblanksits squarely in its hold, edges shining as they flash in and away from the light. Stop, the robot arm adjusts its position, stop, the robot arm turns again in a smaller space, and stop, the robot arm brings the blank into position for acceptance by the machine tool. The hydraulic cylinders compress and extend with each movement, sounding like each colorful balloon being blown up and tied for a festive occasion. With the blank readyfor cutting, coolant rushes in and the cutterwhirls and slices metal down to the desired shape. The shrill high-pitched sound ofmetal cutting metal is softened by the soothing liquid, washing away cuttings and cooling the pieces. With finished widget in hand, the robot arm again sweeps into its carefully orchestrated dance to transfer its product back to the robot cart (Fig. 1). Offto another partner, the cleaning and deburring station, where the widget is buffed and shined by so many whirring brushes. Finally, at its last stop, the inspection station, a calibrated glass sensor rod briefly touches and steps away, touches and steps awayfrom the shiny metal Figure1. TherobotarmoftheTurningWorkstation(TWS) widget. The dance is done, the widget waits for its next swingsintoactiontopickupthefinishedproductfromthe partner, andtherobotandmachinetoolcommence their turningcentermachinetool. (Photocollection,AMRF Files,NIST) nextroutine. What was ultimately magical about the Automated Manufacturing Research Facility at the National InstituteofStandards andTechnology, theformerNational Bureau ofStandards,was theelegantcoordinationof computers, robots, and machine tools to produce small batches of designed parts. This dance was a visible performanceofthemanyachievementscontributedbyahost ofscientists, engineers, technicians, managers, and theorists. Alongwith theunderlyingcomputercode, database systems, andcontrol mechanisms, theAMRFserved Automated Manufacturing Research Facility 1 as the dress rehearsal, thepointfromwhich manufacturers couldtake the seedideas anddirecttheirown dances intheirown realfactories. This historyexamines thebirthofthevision inthe late 1970swithin the NBS's Center for Mechanical Engineering and Process Technology and follows its course from realization in the Center for Manufacturing Engineering and then the Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory of NBS/NIST to its dismantlement in 1995. The manypeoplewho contributed to its success faced an assortment ofchallenges, and their storieswill frame and guide this study. Robots dancing and machine tools whirling in artful coordination kept members ofAmerican industry, the federal government, and the larger public mesmerized and hooked on theideaofan actual automatedmanufacturingfacility. STEPPING BACK FOR A MINUTE, having an automated manufacturing facility developed by researchers at the venerable National Bureau of Standards appears tertiary to the agency's primary goal ofproviding standards of measurement for industry, commerce, government, and the public. Howdoesthisdance ofcomputers, robots, andmachinetoolsfitwithinthelargermission? Ithelpsto look at the dynamic relationship between standards and manufacturing in the United States over time. By the beginning of the twentieth century, there were several changes in the landscape of American manufacturing. First, the improvement of life through technological advancements required the partnership of science and industry. The life-changing inventions of Thomas Edison, for example, relied upon the scientific contributions of a cadre of mathematicians, physicists, and chemists to make such things as an incandescent lightbulb possible andpractical. Thesescientists, in turn, neededprecision instruments, tools, andmeasurement standards to support their work. Second, US manufacturing exploded, thanks to a combination of factors, including more efficient steam power to drive industrial machines, mineral exploitation to supply the raw materials, expanded transportation networks to move goods, and changed business practices using mass marketing techniques to capture a large potential population of consumers. Third, the emerging world-power status of the country as a result of the Spanish-American War gave manufacturers the opportunity to sell their increased number of goods overseas. But, this enviable situation also required that these goods demonstrate acceptable levelsofqualityandperformanceiftheyweretocompetesuccessfully. Germany's experience made clear the importance of standards in supporting an expansion into world markets. Within a decade of the establishment of its Physikalisch-Technische Reichsanstalt, Germany had achieved world leadership in the manufacture of dye products, porcelain, artificial indigo, optical glass, and scientific andprecision instruments. With 13,600people employed in 760firms, the instrument and optical glass companies alone had tripled their product exports and made no secret of their debt to the Reichsanstalt and its measurementstandardsforthis growth. Ifthe United States and its manufacturingcompanieswanted to achieve similar success, they needed to support efforts to establish an agency for standards at home. This realization became realitywhenonMarch3, 1901, PresidentWilliam McKinleysigned into lawthe actcreatingtheNational BureauofStandards, tobecomeeffectiveonJuly 1 ofthatsameyear.1 Within the first twenty years of its existence, the Bureau established an international reputation for its developments instandards, measurement, andtesting.And,withthe onsetofWorldWar I, NBS furtherproved its utility to industry by contributing to the technological advancement of almost every aspect of wartime production. Standards in measurement brought more opportunities for innovation in manufacturing. Andwith those innovations came an increased need for measurement standards. One critical example was in the area of RexmondC.Cochrane,MeasuresforProgress:AHistoryoftheNationalBureauofStandards(Washington,DC:USDepartmentofCommerce,1966; reprint,ArnoPress,Inc,1976),14-15,39,47,509. 2 ds and Technology