UNI supports U.S. Department of Defense

The UNI Foundry 4.0 Center is working with the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency to help adopt the defense supply chains of small- and medium-sized businesses to Industry 4.0 technologies. Domestic manufacturers face untenable pressure from Asian and European government investments in deployment of Industry 4.0 capabilities in their global supply chains. Since most durable goods contain manufactured metals and the military relies on metal castings for mission-critical assets, a strong supply chain is essential for global economic competitiveness and national security. The UNI Center for Business Growth and Innovation is working with the business owners to prepare the business side of operations accordingly, including training staff and ensuring the workforce is familiar with the innovative technologies.

Additionally, UNI’s Iowa Waste Reduction Center is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the STAR4D Painter Training program. Training military painters is of the utmost importance to ensure corrosion prevention, proper application and efficient production. The STAR4D program began in 2003 as a means to provide effective painter training to the U.S. Armed Forces. Hundreds of painters have been trained from all over the United States including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, District of Columbia and as far away as Japan. If you see a military vehicle, it’s almost guaranteed that UNI has trained the people who painted it.