A NEW PARADIGM - THE INVESTMENT-CASTING COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENT

Under the leadership of five collaborating companies, the Investment C asting Cooperative Arrangement (ICCA) is in the first two years of a s ix-year vision that will contribute to maintaining the U.S. competitiv e advantage in aerospace and, more specifically, aeropropulsion. Equal ly important is the new paradigm that is being developed for other tec hnologies and industries; it includes the ability of competitive compa nies to work together as a team in the development of generic technolo gies that will enhance overall competitiveness. A critical component i n the success of a program such as the ICCA is the team's ability to n etwork and interact with other consortia operating with the same techn ologies so that the efforts are aligned, all resources are being lever aged, and frequent lines of communication have been established at all levels. As a result, the ICCA provides a model framework for genuine interaction among industry, federal laboratories, and universities.