PARK CITY, Utah - The Explosives Testing Users' Group has 32 participating (national and international) test laboratories/test sites. Approximately 19 of which attended this year's meeting that was held at Park City, Utah on October 14 and 15.
Robert Ford, President of Safety Management Systems (SMS), Inc., which is a located in West Jordan, Utah, hosts this event each year.
The charter for the ET Users' Group participants is to collaborate to improve and standardize in-process characterization test methods for explosives, propellants and pyrotechnic materials. "Our approach includes systematically minimizing the variables associated with energetic materials testing to enable consistent and repeatable test data," said Ford.
The group's objective is to accomplish; development of procedures and methods, apply technologies, reaching consensus, and perform periodic "Round Robin" test series on standard materials.
As a three year member of the ET User's Group; Ulrich Klieboldt, Blasting Explosives and Propellants Testing Division, BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany; stated that it was very important for him to be a member of this group and participate in the upcoming "Round Robins." "I need to see how our explosive test methods in Germany can be improved, getting the same results every time, and standardized using the established policies within the United Nations (UN) Handbook for explosive testing," said Klieboldt.
Since Tooele Army Depot (TEAD) has been a partner and member of this group for the past six years, Col. Roger L. McCreery, Commander, Tooele Army Depot (TEAD), was honored to give this year's opening address.
McCreery explained the value of a true Department of Defense (DoD) Public-Private Partnership (P3) program that TEAD currently has with SMS, Inc., since 2008. "This on-going partnership has created a business alliance," said McCreery. He explained that together, TEAD and SMS have collaborated to modernize the explosives material and article testing capabilities at TEAD's Ammunition Equipment Directorate, Test Site.
There are three benefits to this partnership to TEAD: infrastructure upgrades, expanded skill sets so TEAD employees have the ability to support a wide variety of nontraditional testing requirements, and instrumentation upgrades include High Speed Video and data collection systems.
"The P3 partnership with TEAD has been excellent for these past six years," explained Ford. "SMS and TEAD have the same safety culture which makes it easier to complete our testing."
With a shift in DoD focus and industrial base workloads, an enormous opportunity exists for the private sector. Through the Public-Private Partnership (P3) program, companies are now able to take advantage of the critical capabilities and skill sets developed over the past decade by the Army's Organic Industrial Base. By bringing in new opportunities and business for development, the Army can maintain support critical to the warfighter.
Recently awarded, a Department of Defense (DoD), Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) with SMS, Inc., TEAD is allowed to utilize SMS to support government directed testing workload. It will provide the means to receive funding and expedite funds to SMS to ensure timely support of testing requirements.
"The IDIQ is a win-win situation for both," said McCreery. "We value our partnership that not only provides a highly required service to the testing community but through the partnership saves the lives of many civilians and our Warfighters."
TEAD was established in 1942 as the Tooele Ordnance Depot, and for 72 years it has committed itself to readiness and rapid munitions response for America's allies and Warfighters. TEAD provides storage, maintenance and logistics capability under the Army's Joint Munitions Command (JMC). The depot specializes in providing services in ammunition equipment prototype design, development, manufacturing and fielding. The depot also develops innovative Ammunition Peculiar Equipment (APE) used for demilitarization, as well as completing renovation, modification, modernization and maintenance of conventional-type munitions.
Social Sharing