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Derek Korn,
Senior Editor
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Defense-Related Machining Opportunities
Opportunities exist for shops of all sizes in support of the U.S. Department of Defense. Unfortunately, shops without a working history with the department or its suppliers have had difficulty getting their foot in the department’s door. If that has been your experience, then you might check out what the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) offers.
The NCDMM was established in 2003 and has an equipped technology center located on Kennametal’s campus in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It helps shops understand the requirements, regulations and competitive bidding practices necessary to successfully serve this market. Additionally, its Alliance Partners, which consists of select U.S. machining equipment manufacturers, assist shops in identifying more efficient ways to machine the exotic materials and complex geometries common with today’s defense-related components.
According to the NCDMM, the two ways shops typically serve this industry is to contract directly with defense agencies such as the Defense Logistic Agency (DLA) or to be a supplier to large defense contractors. However, shops often find it difficult dealing with the DLA’s bureaucratic requirements. And while working directly with a defense contractor is less cumbersome, shops typically must possess a high level of machining capability and capacity.
To help shops serve these two customers, the NCDMM first formed a consortium of interested shops. It then advised consortium members about the appropriate “next steps,” such as registering with Central Contractor Registration, applying for minority certification (if applicable) and paying closer attention to their quality control standards.
Once the consortium was established, the NCDMM presented the total capability of the consortium to the DLA and defense contractors, and it identified best practices for shops to interface with those two customer bases. In the case of DLA, for example, it found brokers that were willing to act as a prime contractor on DLA programs, which reduced the amount of paperwork associated with government contracting.
The NCDMM has grown its initial base of 20 shops to more than 80. If you think you’d like to get involved, visit www.ncdmm.org for more information about the program and some of the machining projects it has completed.
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Your Thoughts
Share your views, win a prize
Is all the current enviro-talk B.S. or not? Some shops claim they are taking strides to be “eco-friendly.” What’s been your experience? What’s your view on environmentally conscious machining and carbon-footprint reduction?
Please share your thoughts on this topic. If we publish your response, you’ll receive your choice of one free book from the metalworking section of the Hanser Gardner bookstore.
To respond, send your e-mail to Derek (dkorn@mmsonline.com)
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Metalworking Mojo
Machining for fun
Drag racing and hot rods have been a part of Dan and Nancy Carney’s lives for many years. Dan, who along with Nancy owns Carney Custom Machining, was crew chief for a top fuel drag racing team. In fact the couple's interaction with the racing community was what spurred them to start their own shop. Early on, the shop’s prime customers were drag racing teams in need of one-off components such as brackets and plates that the car builders couldn’t make for themselves. Read their story here.
When time allows, Dan taps his CNC milling and turning capabilities to machine custom aluminum components for his 1948 Pontiac project car. He’s created interior door handles, dash knobs, engine pulleys, a cup holder, gas and brake pedals and other parts. At some point he may get around to designing and machining custom aluminum wheels for his hot rod WIP.
Do you ever get the chance to machine stuff just for fun? If so, shoot Derek a quick e-mail (dkorn@mmsonline.com) describing what you’ve done. Include a photo, if possible. If you’re willing to help, we'd like to share your fun project with other readers in an upcoming newsletter edition.
Dan Carney has machined various dash parts for his 1948 Pontiac.
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Inbox Insights
Don't forget to recycle that carbide
No doubt you’re diligent about collecting and recycling chips. However, don’t forget to do the same with those worn or broken solid-carbide cutters and inserts. Many cutting tool companies offer a carbide recycling program in which shops are reimbursed for returning used carbide tools. You get to save a few bucks, and the cutting tool companies don’t have to rely as much on increasingly expensive virgin material. Contact your tool suppliers to find out if they offer such a program.
Speaking of cutting tools, our Web site contains a number of cutting-tool-related technical articles. Browse the Cutting Tool Zone.
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New @ MMS ONLINE
Video showing vise clamping for five-axis machining
Workholding limitations can diminish the value of a five-axis machine tool because the worktable can get in the way of the spindle and tool. An online video that accompanies a recent Modern Machine Shop article demonstrates how a clamping system developed by Kurt helps keep the worktable out of the way as spindle and tool approach multiple sides of a workpiece.
Click here to read the article and see the video. |
OUR NEXT ISSUE
Lean job shop, grinding, EMO
| Our December cover story begins with a quote from a shop CEO who claims
that 90 percent of “lean” is useless to her. She values the other 10 percent, though, letting go of the notion that “lean” is only suitable for predictable production. The story highlights the common-sense ways this low-volume job shop benefits from lean practices.
The December issue also includes two grinding-related feature stories. One describes a shop’s growing reliance on centerless grinding for certain types of precision parts. The other details how a form- and cylindrical-grinding specialist uses advanced grinding equipment in the pursuit of low-volume, sub-micron grinding work. The latter has even modified one of its universal CNC grinding machines to perform simultaneous C- and Z-axis movement to grind a cam’s intricate sine-wave-like profile.
Another feature contains editors’ impressions of the EMO 2007 trade fair, which took place in Hannover in September. Accompanying that story is an online “slide show” of technologies seen by the three Modern Machine Shop editors who roamed the world’s largest metalworking trade fair. Click here or on the image to see the slide show.
Don’t miss this issue! Subscribe or renew your subscription at www.mmsonline.com/subscribe.
EMO is the world’s largest metalworking trade fair.
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