The MRL Definitions were created by the DOD MRL Working Group. This group was formed in 2004 under the auspices of the Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel (JDMTP). Their direction was to develop and promulgate a maturity model along the lines of the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) to assess, measure and mitigate manufacturing risks. Along with the definitions below are a set of MRL descriptions. These descriptions can be found on the Defense Acquisition University's (DAU) Acquisition Community Connection (ACC) for Production, Quality and Manufacturing (PQM).
There are ten MRLs that are correlated to the nine TRLs in use.
- MRL 1: Basic Manufacturing Implications Identified.
- MRL 2: Manufacturing Concepts Identified.
- MRL 3: Manufacturing Proof of Concept Developed.
- MRL 4: Capability to produce the technology in a laboratory environment.
- MRL 5: Capability to produce prototype components in a production relevant environment.
- MRL 6: Capability to produce a prototype system or subsystem in a production relevant environment.
- MRL 7: Capability to produce systems, subsystems, or components in a production representative environment.
- MRL 8: Pilot line capability demonstrated; Ready to begin Low Rate Initial Production.
- MRL 9: Low rate production demonstrated; Capability in place to begin Full Rate Production.
- MRL 10: Full Rate Production demonstrated and lean production practices in place.
17.6.2 MRL Considerations
The ten MRLs considerations below come from an MRL Overview Chart:
MRLs 1-3: This is the lowest level of manufacturing readiness. The focus is on:
- Basic research (budget activity 6.1) and is often in the form of a study.
- Applied research (budget activity 6.2) translates basic research into solutions for broadly defined military needs.
- Applied Technology Development (budget activity 6.3). Materials and/or processes have been characterized for manufacturability and availability. Experimental hardware models have been developed in a lab environment that may possess limited functionality.
MRL 4: Manufacturing processes have been identified along with key processes. Producibility assessments have begun.
MRL 5: Manufacturing processes are beginning to emerge. Producibility assessments are on-going and manufacturing cost drivers have been identified.
MRL 6: Manufacturing processes are now being demonstrated in a relevant environment. Manufacturing cost drivers have been analyzed and long lead items have been identified. Production equipment is in a relevant environment.
MRL 7: Manufacturing processes are in development and producibility improvements are underway. Trade studies are being conducted having manufacturing implications, and supply chain management practices are in place.
MRL 8: Manufacturing process maturity is being demonstrated on a pilot line. All materials are ready for low rate initial production (LRIP). Manufacturing processes are now proven and the supply chain is stable for LRIP.
MRL 9: Manufacturing processes are operating at target quality, cost and performance goals. The supply chain is established and meeting lead times, cost and performance objectives.
MRL 10: The manufacturing is mature and is meeting full rate production (FRP) goals. Lean/Six Sigma practices have been put in place and are reaping benefits. The program is meeting or exceeding (in a positive way) cost, schedule and performance goals.
Central to accomplishing acquisition Program Management goals is an under-standing of the risks associated with the industrial process in DOD acquisition, and developing risk mitigation plans and actions. These risk elements are both discrete (are embedded in each phase), and are comprised of nine (9) threads. These threads begin at discovery and invention, go through engineering and development, through production and deployment, and end with operations and support. These nine threads include:
- Technology and Industrial Base Thread: Requires an analysis of the capabilities of the national technology and industrial base to support the design, development, production, operation, uninterrupted maintenance support of the system, and eventual disposal (including environmentally conscious).
- Design Thread: Requires an analysis of the degree to which the identified, evolving or system design will meet user requirements and the degree to which the design is new and unproven.
- Materials Thread: Requires and analysis of the risks associated with materials (including basic/raw materials, components, semi-finished, parts, and sub-assemblies).
- Cost and Funding Thread: Requires an analysis of the risk that the system development and deployment will not meet the DOD cost and funding goals.
- Process Capability and Control Thread: Requires an analysis of the risk that the manufacturing processes may not be able to reflect the design intent (repeatability and affordability) of key characteristics.
- Quality Management Thread: Requires an analysis of the risk and management efforts to control quality, and foster continuous quality improvement.
- Personnel Thread: Requires the assessment of the required skills and availability in required numbers of personnel to support the manufacturing effort.
- Facilities Thread: Requires an analysis of the capabilities and capacity (Prime, Subcontractor, Supplier, Vendor, and Maintenance Repair) that are key risks in manufacturing.
- Manufacturing Planning, Scheduling, and Control Thread: Requires an analysis of the orchestration of all elements needed to translate the design into an integrated and fielded system (meeting Program goals for affordability and availability).
Top of page
