Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) and Manufacturing Readiness Levels (MRLs) are integral when collaborating with the U.S. Department of Defense.
If you’ve ever developed a technology solution for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), you’ve likely heard of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). Technology Readiness Levels provide the DoD with a common vernacular and a systematic framework to assess the maturity of a solution across its development life cycle. The nine TRLs are defined as follows:
TRL 1: Basic principles observed and reported
TRL 2: Technology concept or application formulated
TRL 3: Experimental and analytical critical function and characteristic proof of concept
TRL 4: Component or breadboard validation in a laboratory environment
TRL 5: Component or breadboard validation in a relevant environment
TRL 6: System or subsystem model or prototype demonstrated in a relevant environment
TRL 7: System prototype demonstration in an operational environment 2-2
TRL 8: Actual system completed and “flight qualified” through test and demonstration
TRL 9: Actual system “flight proven” through successful mission operations
The ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and is part of the Manufacturing USA® network. We leverage a unique, robust, and diverse ecosystem of 400+ consortium members and partners across industry, academia, and government to make robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence more accessible to U.S. manufacturers large and small, train and empower the manufacturing workforce, strengthen our economy and global competitiveness, and elevate national security and resilience.
The ARM Institute focuses our technology developmental efforts on maturing systems from TRL 4 to TRL 7, the range commonly referred to as the “innovation valley of death” because it is so often where promising technologies halt their advancement. Technologies often get stuck in this “valley” after being funded by university research and before the technology is ready for broad adoption. In funding over 100 technology development projects (https://arminstitute.org/projects/) advancing robotic technologies for manufacturing, the ARM Institute has made a tangible impact on the next generation of defense capabilities by funding technologies that otherwise would have gotten stuck in this gap.
Because our goal is advancing U.S. manufacturing, the systems we develop are also evaluated by their Manufacturing Readiness Levels, or MRL. Like TRLs, MRLs range from 1-9, but rather than evaluating a single technology system, MRLs consider manufacturing capabilities. MRLs are essential for the DoD to understand the maturity of processes required to produce parts and systems for the defense industrial base. Manufacturing readiness is closely linked with the Technology readiness of the systems that make up a manufacturing line.
Continual assessment of TRL and MRLs allows the ARM Institute, and by extension the DoD, to understand the progress made towards our collective goal of Advancing US manufacturing through robotics. The ARM Institute’s specific focus on advancing robotics technologies in the TRL 4-7 range also enable us to progress advancements that otherwise would have fallen prey to the innovation valley of death. For industry and universities, leveraging these levels is key to helping you speak a common language as the Department of Defense when selling your solution or going after funding.
