August 2023 Volume 5

FOUNDATION NEWS

FIERF Professors Summit Debrief

FIERF Magnet School professors and FIA members joined for the second annual FIERF Professors Summit at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio on July 11, 2023. Schools represented include Georgia Southern University, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Cincinnati University, Ohio University, North Carolina State University, University of North Texas, Lehigh University, Cuyahoga Community College, Colorado School of Mines, and Case Western Reserve University. FIA Member company attendees included representatives from Pursuit Aerospace, Weber Metals, American Axle & Manufacturing, and Universal Stainless & Alloy Products.

• Automation Adoption Initiative: FIA has been actively working with the DOD-IBAS office to obtain funding to train the next generation of workers in automation and robotics. The aim is to funnel money into community colleges and technical schools to create forging centric programs, increase the number of robotic training cells for students to learn from and develop more skilled workers. • Congressional Forging Improvement Program: FIA has requested funding from Congress to increase the performance of forging products and processes to support the defense industrial base. The hope is to use these monies to fund research grants at universities across the country. • America Makes Additive Manufacturing Preforms for Forging: FIA is part of a proposal along with CSU, Wright State and Georgia Southern to pilot the industrialization of AM preforms to expedite the forging process for low-volume forged components. The Forging Foundation (FIERF) Board Chair, and Chair of the FIA Technical Committee, Graham McIntosh of Universal Stainless, reviewed the foundation’s research grants, technology roadmap, and plans for the 2024 FIERF Technical Conference. Angela Gibian, Executive Director of FIERF and Amanda Dureiko, FIA Sr. Manager, Foundation and Workforce Development, presented an overview of FIERF’s mission and programs, including some new educational initiatives such as children’s books, K-12 summer camps, forging competitions for college students, and a recently endowed scholarship. A lively dialogue ensued amongst the participants around the topic of workforce development and how industry and educators can work together to help build up the pipeline of workers for the forging industry. Talking points included best practices for implementing Forging Clubs, networking forums and meeting opportunities for students, industry involvement in senior design projects, co-ops and internships, and more. Executable actions from the meeting will be taken back to the FIERF Board of Trustees to discuss how the foundation can better help facilitate these engagements and continue to educate and connect students with the forging industry. The summit concluded with a joint networking reception at The Oak Barrel restaurant, where attendees were able to continue networking, meet some FIA Members who were attending the Theory & Applications of Forging & Die Design course, and also enjoy some food and cocktails. The next FIERF Professors Summit will take place in Summer of 2024.

The group was briefed by FIA Government Affairs Manager, Megha Patel, on the Forging Industry Association’s current Workforce Development efforts as it relates to what’s happening in Washington D.C. and the status of potential funding opportunities for the foundation. Megha shared current funding requests in front of Congress and the Department of Defense that would allow FIERF to aggressively fund projects to grow the workforce and continue the innovation of the forging industry. Funding requests include: • DOD Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation: FIA submitted a proposal to receive funding in order to establish certificate-based programs at community colleges and technical schools. The aim is to train the next generation in mechatronics as more companies become automated. • Ships & Subs Proposal for Forging University: FIA is in the process of submitting a proposal to expand Forging University that would allow us to create and purchase new classes for the e-learning system. The classes will be based on the needs of our members and the DOD, specifically the Ships & Subs program, in order to scale up the production of these vessels.

FIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2023 60