Improving Industrial Base Manufacturing Processes (formerly Material Availability)

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, assure the DLA managed products meet requirements, and continuously improve 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, Subsistence Network, 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 FY2014, DLA received 139,163 orders for 2.85 million batteries at $183M net value - compared to FY13 $176M and FY12 $216M. The Battery network focuses on projects to develop the production capability for advanced lithium-based non-rechargeable and rechargeable batteries to ensure the prompt and sustained availability, quality, and affordability of batteries. Desired outcomes include: streamlined inventory and associated cost reductions through standardization and improved distribution practices; resolved obsolescence issues; addressed surge and sustainment issues; enhanced security of supply chain; increased competition and manufacturing base; reduced per unit battery cost; and leveraged Service-level (Army, Navy, Air Force) and other governmental (DOE, DOT, NASA) R&D efforts to insert new technology and practices into the existing DLA battery inventory. The Subsistence Supply Chain consists of military subsistence, which includes combat rations, field feeding equipment, garrison feeding and market fresh products. The Subsistence Network (SUBNET) program is a manufacturing technology program and is the successor to the Combat Rations R&D program. SUBNET’s community of practice will research and promote manufacturing improvements in the subsistence supply chain with the goals of maximizing capability and capacity to produce, and to encourage innovation and modernization needed to leverage the latest technologies. The desired outcomes of the current short-term projects Microwave Assisted Thermal Sterilization (MATS), MRE Alternate Chemical Laminate, Optimize Combat Ration Inspection Costs, and Combat Rations Shelf Life Temperature Monitoring Project include testing of low risk, high-impact technology and process improvements that will improve the quality of individual and group combat rations, reduce cost, and provide efficiencies, then transitioning these improvements to industrial base suppliers and government suppliers. The Castings consortium objective is to develop new materials and technologies for the metalcasting industry to help DLA improve the supply of parts that contain castings. Weapon system spare parts managed by DLA that contain castings are responsible for a disproportionate share of DLA’s backorders or unfilled orders (UFOs). Cast parts are ~2% of National Stock Numbered Class IX parts but represent ~5% of all backorders, and when only the oldest backorders are considered up to 10% are castings. This program includes tasks to develop new capabilities in the areas of inspection, materials, processes, modeling, and design. Once developed these capabilities will support the foundry industry, where the technologies will be tested and implemented in conjunction with the industry associations. These advancements will improve the metalcasting supply chains for the DOD and the DLA to better support the warfighter. This is achieved through investments in projects aimed at reducing lead-time, reducing cost, and improving quality of castings critical to DOD weapon systems. The Forgings consortium objective is to develop new materials and technologies for the forging industry to help DLA improve the supply of parts that contain forgings. Weapon system spare parts managed by DLA that contain Forgings are responsible for a disproportionate share of DLA’s backorders or unfilled orders (UFOs). Forged parts are ~2% of National Stock Numbered Class IX parts but represent ~5% of all backorders, and when only the oldest backorders are considered up to 10% are forgings. This program includes tasks to develop new capabilities in the areas of inspection, materials, processes, modeling, and design. Once developed these capabilities will support the forging industry, where the technologies will be tested and implemented in conjunction with the industry associations. These advancements will improve the forging supply chains for the DOD and the DLA to better support the warfighter. This is achieved through investments in projects aimed at reducing lead-time, reducing cost, and improving quality of forgings critical to DOD weapon systems. 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, 2017
• Source ID: 7_0708011S_7_0400_PB_2017

Tags

Readers

• Defense Technology Research and Development.
• Industrial Economics
• Logistics and Supply Chain Management.