Supply Chain Viability for the North American Microwave Power Tube Industry

摘要

The DoD Defense Production (DPA) Act Title III program sponsored this project in response to a critical supply base issue with the objective of strengthening the supplier base to ensure it's future viability. Microwave Power Tubes (MPTs) are of critical concern because of their extensive use in military weapon systems and the limited number of suppliers. The products addressed are helix tape, heater filaments, and cathodes. The project team included IIT Research Institute (IITRI) and four subtier suppliers: Semicon Associates, Spectra-Mat, Inc. (SMI), H. Cross Co. and Union City Filament Corp. Boeing Electron Dynamic Devices (EDD), Communication and Power Industries (CPI), and Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, three of the industry's major MPT producers, served as technical advisors. This task sought to resolve not only general, industry-wide issues, but company specific problems as well. The overall benefits and implications to DoD include: Reduced risk to DoD of production shortfalls; a more responsive supply base, especially for meeting military 'surge' requirements; reduced risk of losing the manufacturing process knowledge for these components; lower cost due to simplification of some processes; strategic marketing is enhancing the overall business viability of the four suppliers, especially in recent economic uncertainty; and he adaptation of modern manufacturing engineering tools will position this segment of the supply chain to meet not only the needs of DoD today, but in the future as well. Development of two engineering specifications (EIA-940 and EIA-941) was also a major achievement. Prior to this task, the industry lacked specifications or standards that sufficiently defined performance requirements. A key benefit of standardizing criteria among the MPT producers is cost containment through less material review and scrap.