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Show Page 32 HILL TOP TIMES L(Qd By Air Force Logistics Command Air Force Logistics Command is taking action to deal with long lead times now being experienced in procurement of aircraft forgings and jet engine parts. Remedies being pursued or considered include closer monitoring and enforcement of existing contracts, buying parts containing critical raw materials in a semi finished state, and development of a computerized inventory system to monitor critical components. -- Ordered until delivered Lead time is time a product delivered and long lead times cobalt sheet lead time in this country grew from around 21 weeks in early 1978 to approximately 85 weeks in the following year. Cobalt is used in the production of high temperature alloy components for jet engines. Strategic elements used Other examples of elements the defense industry uses are titanium, chromium, platinum, columbium and tantalum. These materials are used in either aircraft or along with other key materials in high temperature, high armor strength and corrosion resistent A-1- 0, this nation's dependency on foreign As a result of this price increase, (m J.HERBERT advance. A forging is metal formed into a predetermined shape by a hydraulic or mechanical press, with or main frame without heat. The and its landing gear are made from heavy forgings. AFLC is exploring ways to improve its capability to monitor lead time changes. According to David Brown of the AFLC Directorate of Contract Management and Maintenance, "We can update our lead time information on a basis, noting when parts are projected as needed. Items that are due in a certain time period A-10- part-by-pa- 's rt can be computer printed on a 1 2 Pj contain cobalt. Can't buy raw materials "The Air Force cannot buy raw materials, but we can buy raw forgings and castings that contain those needed critical raw materials." Another way that AFLC hopes to combat the long lead timestrategic materials problem is through the use of a computerized inventory generic coding system. Though still in the feasibility study stage, such a coding system would watch critical production manufacturing i f rv OGDEN CITY MALL Phone 394-268- 1 time increases. items would these Inquiries concerning then be sent immediately to the contractors supplying them, to determine when orders need to be placed earlier than originally planned. affected by lead Changes made in forgings There have been some recent bright spots in lead times, though they don't with strategic deal directly materials. These are the lead times concerning aluminum and steel forgings. Lead time projections for aluminum forgings happily changed from 93 weeks in August 1980 to 77 weeks in February of this year. Steel forgings lead time during the same period changed from 92.5 weeks to 68 weeks. However, these lead times came down only as a result of decreased demand for forgings from the auto industry, and the reduction is probably only a temporary reprieve. Even though the General Services Administration is at present procuring $100 million in strategic materials for stockpiling, long lead times are expected to come down only slowly in the near future. Continued AFLC management attention will be required in the months and years ahead to ensure Air Force combat readiness. (LOGNEWS) W TOU BtfDWT SMOKE m Farmers can insure your life, home and auto for less money loo CLAIM YOUR REWARD FROM TMESE AGENTS: "fl&v- vnru mi - Ray (In Roy) Johnson Illustrations enlarged Revolving processes specific items that are likely to be jewellers i Day Charge materials, critical and critical components. The system would be able to identify d. 30-60-- or sheet. ask the contractor would then "We to provide an estimate of what the lead time will be during that time period. We would use the updated lead time in the computations to assure timely award of contracts. Most contracts and orders we issue are rated and the rating is intended to give us priority over commercial orders." Bob Frey, also in the Directorate of Contract Management and Maintenance, said, "One way that we are considering combating long lead times in parts that contain strategic raw materials is to buy them in a semifinished state, such as forgings which 1 lib'll listing-by-contract- fllM L (k Established in 1898 h strategic components for jet engines and airthe period from the frames. is ordered until it is which Forgings for the functioning. Present contain titanium, have had to be orare in part a result of dered as much as 112.5 weeks in sources for many strategic materials needed to make forgings and other parts. For example, the United States gets 97 percent of its cobalt, a critical element in most superalloys, from overseas, 60 percent of it coming from the nation of Zaire. A civil war in that country in 1978 disrupted supplies of cobalt to this country, resulting in an increase in price from $6.85 a pound to $100 a pound in 1978. Its current price is $20 a pound. d hy command hort DODIKSS 1st Lt. Phil Mills 8, 1981 May Budget Installment. LAYT0N Phone HILLS MALL 766-345- 8 Layaway-lnteres- call Free t 773-474- 0 5651 S. 1900 W. CROSSROADS MALL Phone Gregory J. Pack 355-371- 4 Roy, Utch Reno. Las Vegas. Phoenix. Tucson. San Diego. Los Angeles. Federal Way. Vancouver f w '. v |