NFFS is part of the American Metalcasting Consortium (AMC) which partners with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and the cast metals industry to provide resources that stimulate cost reductions, quality, and market share growth. NFFS’s role in the AMC program is to deliver value to DLA while developing tools and resources that promote business opportunities, efficiencies, and cost savings to the cast metals industry. A summary of NFFS programs developed as part of the AMC program is provided below.
NQS 9000
An award-winning industry-specific ISO 9000 compliant quality program developed by and for the foundry industry. Created and administered by NFFS, it is a broad based series of common sense guidelines that provide an organized and efficient method of doing business. Compliant with all 19 clauses of the ISO 9002 (1) quality standard, NQS 9000 enables foundries to produce higher quality castings at reduced costs, benefiting both the purchaser and the supplier.
Electronic Commerice Initiative for Metalcasters
The ECIM project provided training and assistance to foundry professionals that needed to integrate electronic commerce (EC) technologies within their existing business systems. Thr project provided education on new technologies to the metalcasting industry, thus enabling the industry to be more competitive.
Defense Tooling Database
A secure online database of tooling for defense components resident in foundries and machine shops to provide government buyers visibility to sub-tier manufacturers and potentially eliminate the cost and production lead-time associated with creating new tooling.
Procurement Solutions Network
The procurement solutions network was created to assist metalcasters with government business opportunities while promoting cost savings for Department of Defense Procurement Agencies, particularly the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The system is comprised of three web-based tools: cast tooling database; the supplier database; and the foundry toolkit for government business which NFFS utilizes to identify and direct metalcasting solicitations in real time to foundries in possession of the critical tooling and/or with capabilities that match the required part. The program received the prestigious DLA Commander's Choice Award for providing significant cost savings and casting procurement efficiencies for DLA.
Defense Contractor's Toolkit
An online resource created for prime contractors and the smaller machine shops (Tier 2 suppliers) to better understand the complexity of the foundry industry and provide best practices to properly identify and purchase castings specifically for defense applications.
Industry Capabilities Assessment for Preparedness and Sustainment
The objective of this project was to leverage the Defense Casting Suppliers Database and the Cast Tooling Database to gather additional data from those metalcasters currently supplying defense-related parts. The information collected is readily accessible to both government personnel and defense contractors to enable the identification of potential supply chain problems so that certain strategies can be enacted to mitigate these risks. In addition, the information can assist in the reduction of backorders, costs, and lead-times, through the enhanced capability of identifying capable casting sources and adjusting production lead-time projections to reflect available industry capability.
Process Capability Improvements for the Cast Metals Industry
An online training program designed to assist foundry engineers with understand and applying process capability studies in their plant.
Advanced Aluminum Metal Matrix Composites
The newest NFFS/AMC project, NFFS teamed up with M Cubed Technologies and Net Shaped Solutions with the objective of evaluating high load (55%) cast Al/SiC metal matrix composites (MMCs) for military applications using traditional sand and invetment casting processes. At this SiC content, attractive properties are achieved such as higher stiffness and lower thermal expansion (CTE) and the stiffness of steel while maintaining an Aluminum like density.
