A genetic approach to improved semi-solid forming of metals. Final report for period September 4, 1999 - March 4, 2000

Lack of technology for the production of large inexpensive feedstock, with uniform spherical primary phase throughout as required for semi-solid forming, has restricted realization of the full potential for the semi-solid forming process. Furthermore narrow process windows and alloy chemistry restrictions increase process costs and limit performance attributes possible with existing semi-metal systems. Successful semi-solid forming trials utilizing Chesapeake Composites Corporation's DSC{sup TM} Metals for feedstock indicate that this represents a generic approach to providing a permanent highly uniform, spherical solid phase, without electromagnetic or mechanical shearing. This approach also provides for further growth of semi-solid forming by providing for: low cost large diameter billet stock, reduced semi-solid forming costs, extension of semi-solid forming to new alloy systems, and semi-solid formed components with substantially enhanced physical and mechanical properties

Production Networks and the Organization of the Global Manufacturing Economy

In this article, I explicate an organizational theory that links global models of networked organization to cross-national variation in manufacturing specialization. To subject the theory to empirical scrutiny, I derive cross-nationally comparable measurements of the average network position of resident firms in two industries with ideal-typical forms of network governance- garments and transportation equipment. Analytical results suggest that manufacturing specialization varies by network position in both industries, even when controlling for timeinvariant country-specific organizational unobservables and conventional thinking on international specialization. Moreover, these networks matter only during the period after which the two types of governance are alleged to have become the predominant organizational logic of the two industries, and are more important for manufacturing specialization in the transport-equipment industry. The article concludes by implicating these findings in discussions of the distribution of the gains from networked forms of economic organization. © The Author(s) 2012