From

the Editor 7-Is to Improve Technology Transfer

the active participation of stakeholders as the Investigator (university or private researcher), the funding source (private sector, trade association and government), technology users such as metalcasters and their suppliers (equipment or material), and even the end-users taking advantage of the new technology to improve their products and services. We have found that research developing technology without interfacing with these communities will have a low probability of being embraced or implemented. How do we secure involvement? At AFS, it starts with referred to as 5S due to the Japanese and English terms: our Technical Committee structure. This is a group of almost Seiri (sorting), Seiton (setting in order), Seiso (systematic 800 individuals cleanup), Seiketsu (sanitizing) and Shitsuke participating (sustainable discipline). These terms describe on a voluntary a method to implement order and discipline basis in technical into the workplace to eliminate waste. committees that In preparing a presentation I gave at the 60th Anniversary of the Chinese Foundry meet 3-4 times a year, all organized Society and then repeated at the AFS Saginaw around a division of Valley Chapter, I reected on the challenges 1. Involvement specific technology, facing our industry. We have many demands 2. Investigation process, metal or and constraints on our valuable human, discipline focus. intellectual, financial and temporal resources. 3. Innovation The second I It is our responsibility as good stewards to is the Investigation maximize these resources for the benefit of our 4. Implementation Pr o c e s s , w h i c h industry, society and future generations. That first involves the is why it is important to discuss the 7 Is of 5. Improvement steps to develop, a successful research program. Similar to the propose and philosophy of Kaizen, the 7 Is are intended 6. Integration conduct research to bring discipline, clarity and reduce waste, addressing the needs as well as offer a pathway for the fruits of our 7. IlluminationInform as expressed in the work to be implemented into our industry. technology and The first and most important I is research plans of the key interest groups, such as our technical Involvement. For any project to be successful, it must have Many of you are practicing the principals embodied in Kaizen Continuous Improvement. This activity also is

Investigation and pursuit for just the sake of technological advancement is not the End Game.

Principal of the 7-Is to Improve Technology Transfer

International Journal of Metalcasting/Winter 2013

committees. The researcher must seek the involvement of industrial partners on their project monitoring and steering committees, as well as their participation via monetary or in-kind support of the project efforts. Before our AFS Research Board selects a project, even one that has good technical merit, they judge this participation and ask: Does the project have a steering committee representing industry? Have they demonstrated their interest and support of the need to conduct this work via letters of support, offers of monetary backing or in-kind support? Besides the technology being developed, we also look at these projects as a platform where the next generation of metalcasters can experiment and learn their craft. We must ensure that innovation is able to ourish. We encourage the researchers to think Outside the Box and look for game-changing solutions (not just incremental advances). They should seek opportunities in other sectors and disciplines, not just metalcasting or materials to help advance our technology. A good example of innovation was the interface by Dr. Sam Ramrattan at Western Michigan University (WMU) with Prof. Margaret Joyce of the WMU Paper Products Department. In seeking new approaches to control and improve coatings for molds and cores for metalcasting, there was a collaboration to review how coatings are managed in the paper industry. We must remember that investigation and pursuit for just the sake of

technological advancement is not the End Game. To be considered a success you must have the technology

We have many demands and constraints on our valuable human, intellectual, nancial and temporal resources. It is our responsibility as good stewards to maximize these resources for the benet of the industry.
implemented and being used. Technology transfer is not a one-way street. It is not just presenting a paper or lecture at a conference. Technology transfer requires a collaborative effort between the researcher and end-user. One way we have tried to determine our success in research implementation has been to recognize and reward shining examples of technology transfer. AFS established the Applied Research Award (the award was designed to symbolize the knowledge from a book pouring into a vessel to create a product) as one form of recognition. The goal of the AFS Applied Research Award is to recognize the principal investigators and metalcasting organizations involved with AFS funded research projects that have been effectively transferred to the metalcasting industry and provides demonstrated value on the plant floor. To succeed and sustain as an industry, we must improve. The funded research must lead to improvements in our: quality levels, predictive properties of simulations, material properties, workplace environment, energy requirements and usage, efficiency of our processes, sustainability, timeto-market, expanding our market, and economics and profitability. The technology must be integrated into the way we do business, and we must embrace it so it becomes an essential tool. The final key is to seek opportunities and venues to illuminate and inform the industry of these research successes. It is all about the end game of improving our industry and each of the 7 Is is needed to achieve this result.
Thomas Prucha

Editor. International.Journal.of .Metalcasting AFS.Vice.President.of .Technology tprucha@afsinc.org

International Journal of Metalcasting/Winter 2013