A8

							6. Number of years in the business
10+
7. Annual average (past 3 years) revenue
$23.1M - $50M
8. Current number of full time employees
251 - 500
9. Please select the categories that the small business falls into
Small Business
10. Rank in order the top three (3) categories where the small business currently provides products &
services.
                                                                            1 (1)      2 (2)       3 (3)
Air Force                                                                                X
Marine Corps                                                                                         X
Department of Homeland Security
Army                                                                         X
Coast Guard
Navy
Intelligence Agencies
Other
If other(DARPA, SOCOM, DTRA, DLA), please specify:
11. Describe the nature of your business
Professional Services/Consulting
Combat Survivability
Information Technology
Systems Engineering
Test and Evaluation
12. Specifically identify the month and year of the project start and completion date. Use "ongoing" if
the project is still in progress. The project should be within the last 24 months.
ongoing
13. Describe how this project's success directly or indirectly supports the warfighter. (200 words or less)
Arguably the most critical ground combat vehicle used by the U.S. warfighter today is the Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle. MRAPs have been the answer to the deadliest new
threat to our forces—the improvised explosive device (IED)—and have helped decrease IED
casualties by an estimated 80%. In short, in the words of GEN Michael Lally, “MRAPs save
lives every time they go out.” To ensure that MRAPs continue to “go out” and save lives, it is
crucial that the MRAP logistics chain be maintained. One key aspect of this chain is the DoD’s
ability to quickly test, analyze, and modify the MRAP variants that continue to emerge to
address ever-evolving threats and requirements. This ability requires accurate 3-D CAD files of
MRAP variants. Unfortunately, these files are often considered proprietary and are not included
with the vendor’s vehicle delivery. Accordingly, COMPANY is using its world-class Metrology
Center and laser-based measuring equipment to scan and model MRAP vehicles. The models
produced are equipping Government and contractor personnel with key geometry data to perform
“virtual mock-ups” for capability insertions and, potentially, numerous other MRAP-support
activities, including vehicle structure, radar/signature, thermodynamic, and ballistic vulnerability
analyses; trade studies; and maintenance/training documentation.
14. Describe the need the project fulfills/why the project was started. (200 words or less)
GEN Eisenhower once said that “wars have been won or lost primarily because of logistics.”
Indeed, U.S. history is filled with examples of armies succeeding and failing based on their
ability to support their front lines with their back lines. With regard to MRAP, the question is
how well will we be able to support, analyze, and enhance the critical MRAP fleet as it continues
to evolve. The military R&D community has long recognized the need for realistic CAD models
to characterize and analyze its major systems. And this need is increasingly critical as the pace
and cost of today’s warfare continue to increase dramatically. Developers, testers, and analysts
can no longer rely on time-consuming, labor-intensive manual mock-up efforts and/or T&E
programs that can destroy multiple vehicles. Today, practitioners need reliable CAD geometry to
quickly and nondestructively simulate many developing, testing, and other activities. This project
was initiated to provide the USMC (and others) with timely, reliable CAD models for MRAP
capability insertion mock-ups that often were being performed with a “cardboard and duct tape”
approach. In addition, the models may potentially be used for many previously mentioned
engineering studies of the vehicle’s properties and interactions with threats.
15. Describe the approach and solution to the project need. Do not provide any information that may be
considered intellectual property. Feel free to provide pictures/graphics if they assist in describing the
story. These may be submitted via email to Rebecca Danahy at rdanahy@ndia.org. Do not provide any
marketing material. (500 words or less)
COMPANY has developed a unique, streamlined approach to PRODUCT the MRAP Family of
Vehicles (FoV). It involves collecting and then post-processing point cloud data to develop
geometry files, engineering drawings, and/or full technical data packages (TDPs). The approach
is divided into five basic steps: 1. pre-collection setup 2. point cloud collection 3. post-
processing and surface model development 4. surface data import into CAD package 5. final
modeling and assembly. The pre-collection setup involves positioning the vehicle in
COMPANY’s High-Bay facility and calibrating the data collection system around it. Vehicle
reference points are established by placing precision tooling balls at various locations on the
vehicle and collecting hard point locations using a specialized GPS system. Figure 1 shows an
MRAP Cougar ready for scanning. Next, interior and exterior data are collected to produce a
point cloud of location/orientation information. COMAPNY uses a combination of state-of-the-
art contact and noncontact collection systems, including the IGPS/X-Station, Krypton Optical
CMM, MV224 Coherent Laser Radar (CLR), and FARO Arm SRE measurement systems. The
IGPS is a collection of laser transmitters/receivers positioned around the vehicle to collect IR
light signals and produce a highly accurate (100-150 micron) data point cloud. Likewise, the
Krypton CMM contains optical CCD cameras and handheld scanners to measure and triangulate
IR LED positions. The CLR system is a large-volume, noncontact, high-precision (up to 50-
micron) scanner; and the Faro Arm SRE system is a single-point laser probe scanner that can
quickly create individual component geometry. The IGPS was used to collect the external
measurements, and the Faro Arm was used to collect the internal measurements. A variety of
modeling software (including Pro/ENGINEER, SolidWorks, RHINO, ACAD, and Spatial
Analyzer) is used to manipulate and post-process the collected point cloud data and generate a
polygonal model of the vehicle. COMPANY also has developed a custom modeling package and
graphics libraries that can tie into the metrology hardware to help automate data translation.
After the point cloud data have been post-processed and reformatted, they are brought into a
commercial CAD package. Each part is imported, and editing is performed as required. Finally,
after individual parts have been created, they are formed into a final assembly and delivered as a
final CAD product using a combination of custom and third-party software. In some cases, TDPs
are developed and attached to an assembly.
16. Provide quantitative results, if possible, to describe what savings/benefits/value the project provided.
Examples such as $1.2 M in savings, 50% increase in productivity, or 200% improvement in safety, etc.
are appropriate and recommended as long as they can be verified with the customer. (200 words or less)
As described previously, COMPANY’s MRAP PRODUCT has wide applicability across the
USMC, Army, and DoD MRAP-support agencies, making it difficult to quantify just how large
the current/potential value to the Government and warfighter may be. However, for capability
insertion mock-ups, COMPANY’s unique metrology expertise and optical and laser-based
equipment are providing the Government with comprehensive, reliable, and useful MRAP data
that were previously unavailable. In the words of the MRAP customer, “It’s like night and day.
Without the COMPANY PRODUCT, we couldn’t go forward. We’d still be modeling space
claims with cardboard and duct tape. . . . In addition, the confidence I have in the COMPANY-
provided data is so much higher than what I would have from the vendor data itself.” In addition,
because COMPANY’s PRODUCTS have the potential for use across multiple applications and
domains—including the previously mentioned structural, signature, thermodynamic, and
vulnerability analyses; trade studies; and maintenance/training documentation—the cost-savings
to MRAP T&E and acquisition programs could be enormous. Again, in the words of the MRAP
customer, “If we could save just one vehicle by using the COMPANY-provided PRODUCT
instead of live-fire, the modeling effort could pay for itself three times over.”
17. Describe the extent of the project impact. Was it something that provided positive benefits to all
military personnel (e.g. electronic health records)? Was it something that provided success in a very
specific environment (e.g. Navy aircraft improvement)? (50 words or less)
COMPANY’s scanning/modeling efforts are significantly benefitting critical MRAP capability
insertion/modification activities and could potentially benefit many other MRAP development,
acquisition, testing, analysis, and support activities. The ultimate beneficiaries, of course, are the
actual warfighters operating MRAPs to perform security, convoy escort, troop/cargo transport,
ambulance, EOD, combat engineer, and training missions.