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Project Summary:

The Co-Team project specifically focuses on supporting the cast metals/foundry sector in the UK. Participants in this project, which is being co-ordinated by the Manufacturing Engineering Centre (MEC) at Cardiff University, are the two leading industry organisations, the Cast Metals Federation (CMF) and the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers (ICME).

Co Team proposes setting up an online service, tailored for the specific needs of the foundry industry. It will help industry to become more competitive and win new customers through the use of technology in a collaborative product commerce environment.

The aim of the project is to provide a tool that will allow foundry companies to offer a quick, responsive, high quality service giving them a competitive advantage with both existing and potential customers. Such an approach will demonstrate the benefits of applying information technology by bringing together the entire value chain and accelerating time-to-market.

Project Partners:

Alfer Ltd.
Bevan Simpson
Cast Metals Federation (CMF)
Darvins Holdings Ltd.
Institute Cast Metals Engineers (ICME)
J L French (UK)
MCL Engineering Ltd.
New Pro Foundries
Presbar Diecastings Ltd.
Surecast Devizes Ltd.
Westfield Patterns
Westley of Cardiff

Need:

Increasing competitive problems of the target sector due to huge pressure from global souring and traditional barriers for business-to-customer communication.

Solution:

ASP tailored for the specific needs of the foundry industry offering :

• On-line CAD annotation/discussion features
• Project Management
• Facilities for distribution of Requests for quotation (RFQs) and bidding
• Quotations and Orders tracking information
• Product data management support

Benefits:

The project will demonstrate the benefits of application of ICT in the metal casting and foundry sector as shown below.

• Allowing customers to participate proactively in the collaborative product development cycle
• Enabling small companies in the target sector to bid together for bigger projects, thus providing them with access to the large national and international market
• Removing the communication barriers with suppliers, pattern makers, and subcontractors, and creating virtual teams without time and distances constraints
• Shortening the lead time, resulting in cost savings and competitive advantages