Exchanging corrosion-control knowledge

Mech, Spring, 2004 by Robert Kidwell

The DoD Corrosion Exchange manages and distributes information about corrosion prevention and control (CPC) through an e-portal. The assistant deputy under secretary of defense for maintenance policy sponsors this website, and this effort has been designated as one of the cornerstones in the DoD's long-term strategy for corrosion prevention and mitigation.

The e-portal is life-cycle oriented and serves as a leader in corrosion research. The site is a model of industry coordination, and it disseminates information to every individual and organization in DoD. It also provides data to academia and to defense industry--those people with an interest in corrosion (especially as it relates DoD weapon systems, equipment, related commercial assets, and infrastructure)

The website provides an online forum that provides cutting-edge, collaboration and information-sharing tools to the fleet (Visit www.dodcorrosionexchange.org). It allows all sectors of the CPC community to exchange technical information. Its virtual library has branches: One is application-based and geared toward the warfighter (in service and weapon-system order), and the other is research-based and populated mainly with abstracts from published papers in the corrosion field. This research component is led by a team of five multi-discipline. doctorate-level scientists and engineers. Available tools include text conferencing, voting, exploder lists. special-interest groups, calendars, FTP, and assorted corrosion references. Members can collaborate and share corrosion information freely in an open forum or a secure environment to meet specific needs across the CPC community.

The Honorable Mike Wynne, acting principal undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, at the Tri-Service Corrosion Conference in Las Vegas, Nev., on November 21, 2004, said, "It is our desire that this Exchange be the first stop for those needing or desiring corrosion-related information on DoD assets." This site and its tools are the primary corrosion resource for the CPC community and bring together disparate websites, repositories, and corrosion-related items and users from the public and private sectors.

Aging systems pose a unique challenge for corrosion maintenance and safety programs. The Corrosion Exchange will help and will carry corrosion technology into the 21st century, providing free web-based access and links to corrosion information and readily shares this information with the fleet.

For more info ...

Contact:

Mr. Robert Kidwell

ManTech Enterprise Integration Center (e-IC)

(304) 368-4100

kidwellr@mantech-wva.com

Daniel J. Dunmire

Director, Corrosion Policy and Oversight for the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Technology, and Logistics

(703) 681-3464

Daniel.Dunmire@osd.mil

Thomas Key

ManTech Enterprise Integration Center (e-IC)

(304) 466-0513

keyt@mantech-wva.com

Mr Kidwell is the vice president and senior technical director of ManTech Enterprise Integration Center (e-IC). He wrote this story for the director of corrosion policy and oversight in the office of the under secretary