EXPANDING THE DIGITAL THREAD FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING (AM): ARCHITECTING A DIGITAL TWIN (DT) META-MODEL (MM) FRAMEWORK

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an innovative technology gaining interest across various industries, including the Department of Defense (DOD). However, numerous uncertainties regarding its efficacy and necessary technological improvements persist, making AM a challenging alternative to traditional manufacturing methods. To address these uncertainties, the tri-maritime service is exploring the value of AM by employing an Additive Manufacturing Digital Twin (AMDT). This capstone design project focuses on creating a DT framework that encapsulates the seven AM types in support of the DOD AM strategy. The AMDT, developed in Magic System of Systems Architect (MSOSA), follows the DOD digital engineering initiative by transforming traditional system engineering approach to a Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) one. The deployed Additive Manufacturing Digital Twin Meta-Model (AMDTMM) will serve as a centralized repository for current and future AM research, with a foundational framework that can evolve into a full-fledged DT to ultimately enhance the tri-maritime service’s ability to harness AM's potential effectively.