Material Availability (MA)
Abstract
The Material Availability (MA) Strategic Focus Area (SFA) are R&D efforts undertaken with DLA’s industrial base to reduce material costs, reduce the length and variability of Production Lead-Times and assure the DLA managed products meet requirements, and continuously improve in the quality and reliability. Benefits of this SFA include lower material costs, lower inventory levels and more predictable Customer Wait Times, fewer quality deficiencies and lower customer support costs. This strategic focus area includes within its scope the former Combat Rations Program, the Battery Program, the Castings and the Forgings programs. This SFA is comprised of five roadmaps for Batteries, Combat Rations, Castings, Forgings, and Additive Manufacturing. The Battery network objective is to develop the next generation of battery manufacturing technologies for cost and price efficiency, longer shelf life, and lighter batteries with higher energy. The network conducts R&D initiatives to address sustainment gaps and bridge technical solutions into higher MRLs for specific groups of batteries. For FY2013, DLA received 130,600 orders for 2.76 million batteries at $177M net value. The Combat Rations network is focused on improving the manufacturing technologies related to the production and distribution of the combat rations that are at the forefront of operations, including Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) and Unitized Group Rations (UGR). The objectives are increased readiness, improved quality, optimum sizing for transportation and storage, and better ration variety. CORANET research efforts also help control the cost of the combat rations. The CORANET program engages all elements of the supply chain including the producers, military Services, Army Natick Soldier Research Development and Engineering Center, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Army Veterinary Command, US Army Public Health Command, DLA Logistics R&D, DLA Troop Support Subsistence and academia to research and transition improved technologies for operational rations. The Castings consortium objective is to develop methods and technologies to improve the supply of cast parts; looking at root causes of supply issues inside DLA and at casting suppliers. This program includes tasks to develop new and improved metalcasting capabilities in the areas of inspection, materials, modeling, and design. Once developed these capabilities will support the foundry industry, where the technologies will be tested and implemented. Weapon system spare parts managed by DLA that contain castings are responsible for a disproportionate share of DLA’s backorders. Cast parts are ~2% of National Stock Numbered parts but represent ~4% of all backorders, and when only the oldest backorders are considered up to 10% are castings. The Forgings consortium objective is to develop methods and technologies to improve the supply of forged parts; looking at root causes of supply issues inside DLA and at forging suppliers. The program has three thrusts: Business Enterprise Integration to improve supply support approaches; FORGE-IT to develop and improve technical problems; and R&D which develops new technology for forging suppliers, including new methods for making forge dies (typically the longest lead time and expensive item) and for simulation of metal flow inside the forge die to eliminate trial and error development of the die. Weapon system spare parts managed by DLA that contain forgings are responsible for a disproportionate share of DLA’s backorders. Forged parts are ~2% of National Stock Numbered parts but represent ~4% of all backorders, and when only the oldest backorders are considered up to 10% are forgings. The Additive Manufacturing (AM) objective is to establish AM as an effective alternative to conventional manufacturing and document the process for AM benefits. DLA needs to exploit AM technology as a lead-time and inventory reduction enabler.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2016
- Source ID
- 7_0708011S_7_0400_PB_2016
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