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Welcome To The DMSMS 2008 Conference
A Message from the Chairman The theme for this year’s conference is: DMSMS & Standardization: Partnering to Reduce Total Ownership Costs. The focus areas are: Strategic Partnerships, Visibility into Total Ownership Costs, Opportunities for Partnering, and Standardization Enablers. For 2008, the agenda includes over 84 technical presentations, nearly 35 exhibitors, and 6 issue based forums/panels - all providing opportunities for attendee interaction and peer to peer networking. Additionally, I encourage you to take advantage of the training opportunities made available to you. I look forward to seeing you in Palm Springs this September. Alex Melnikow - |
 Alex Melnikow - DMSMS 2008 Chairman |
Overview
Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) is the loss, or impending loss, of manufacturers or suppliers of critical items and raw materials. We lose a manufacturer when that manufacturer discontinues or plans to discontinue production of needed components or raw materials. This discontinuance can be caused by rapid changes in item or material technology, uneconomical production requirements, foreign competition, federal environmental or safety requirements, and limited availability or increasing cost of items and raw materials used in the manufacturing process. DMSMS can occur in any phase of a program’s life cycle, from early design phases through post-production support, and has the potential to severely impact the program/end item in terms of schedule and life cycle cost. These problems can affect readiness and operating cost if left unresolved by increasing repair times and the cost of resolving the material shortage.
DMSMS problems are an increasing concern as the service lives of DOD weapon systems are extended and the product life cycles for high technology components decrease. The problem is further complicated by a reduction in the industrial base dedicated to production of military equipment. In fact, the DOD now accounts for less than one-half of one percent of total microelectronic component sales. In addition, aging fleets of ships and aircraft have lost their original supplier-base of constituent mechanical, hydraulic, and other component parts.
Objective
The objective of DMSMS 2008 is to focus on the need for proactive DMSMS management to support the warfighter, and includes activities required to attain this goal such as Value Engineering, Total Life Cycle Management, or Parts Management. To meet this objective our approaches to managing the ever-present obsolescence problem must be examined. Logistics Management of the foreseeable future will require current force support, reset of today’s major systems, and development of the future force. This situation requires technical initiatives throughout the Total Life Cycle, preparing for constant changes in industrial base capabilities. As the military seeks a quicker, more lethal warfighting capability, we must also implement business practices that respond to non-availability issues rapidly and efficiently. Utilization of modern information technology to anticipate problems and share solutions becomes a requirement to support the warfighter.
This conference will present an opportunity to hear the views of military and industrial leaders on what will be required to support the modern warfighter and a forum to discuss the best programmatic, technical and logistics approaches.
| Palm Springs Convention Center 277 N Avenida Caballeos Palm Springs, CA 92262-6440 www.palmspringscc.com |
Palm Springs Wyndham Hotel 888 Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 www.wyndham-palmsprings.com |
