2010: MOVING FORWARD – WORDS FROM THE ASME PRESIDENT

At this mid-way point through our programme year, I would like to ask you to measure ASME’s success on its vision: to be the essential resource for mechanical engineers and other technical professional throughout the world, for solutions that benefit humankind. As part of that measure, consider ASME’s impact on the high-end technical knowledge base, as it is demonstrated through its service to industry, so that industry can do what it does best while remaining at the forefront of technological innovation.

ASME is asking its volunteers to create and nurture an engineering culture that is open to breakthrough technologies and new business models. To process these ideas efficiently, we have just launched an interactive ASME IdeaPort online, which was developed through the efforts of the Strategic Management sector and the Breakthrough Innovation Committee. This IdeaPort will help ASME process new-growth programmes, from their exploration stages through incubation and implementation, and through to their assessment phases. New growth programmes are generally high-risk initiatives that take 3 to 6 years. The ideas come from you the members. Learn how you can participate online at http://submissions.asme.org/ideaport/

Examples of this year’s projects include the Base of Pyramid workshop that explores potential engineering development in the areas that represent the needs of more than 4 billion people who live in acute poverty. A report released this past June provides an overview of the Base of Pyramid market, the economic value it generates and its dynamics and driving forces.

Another IdeaPort project is a feasibility study of extending the lifespan of existing nuclear power plants. The nuclear energy industry is a critical area where ASME standards play a vital role in both technical knowledge and workforce development on a global scale.

To be “open” means to be able to approach our conversations as equals in a highly diverse community of engineers. It means we must listen well, give ourselves space to explore our disagreements, and find alternatives and common ground so that we can move forward together. It’s a challenging, ongoing effort to bridge the gaps we find, as we strive to find common ground with our collaborative partnerships and to participate fully in growth markets. We are trying to make a good fit between what is profitable for ASME and what the world needs.

ASME’s legacy serves us well. We’ve been celebrating the 125th anniversary of ASME standards, this year, which has ASME recognised worldwide for engineering excellence, reliability and safety. We have a history of education, research and advocacy that places ASME’s reputation in the forefront of technological advancement and knowledge sharing. And it is technical knowledge that enables ASME’s current projects and strategies to resonate throughout the world.

Last month at the 2009 ASME Congress, I mentioned that I often offer engineers a story about a horse and its rider as a metaphor for the organisation and its leadership. And if ASME is the horse, then the rider is you, the volunteer.

ASME is working the horse this year with a strong commitment to its strategies, and with renewed efforts at operational efficiency, such as improved reporting structures and assessments on how it aligns resources to strategic goals.

It is a pleasure to see how far we have come to achieving our goals, and I look forward to my remaining months as president. Thank you for all your support. I would like to thank the Board of Governors and others whose efforts over the years continues to work this horse into excellent condition.

Best holiday wishes,
Amos E. Holt, ASME President

ENERGY COOPERATION FOR EUROPE AND US

In November, the EU and US held the first meeting of a new transatlantic Energy Council. The EU and US first agreed to develop strategic cooperation in the field of energy at the Vienna Presidential Summit on 21 June 2006. The EU and US worked together to coordinate their programmes on energy labelling of office equipment through the EU-US “Energy Star” agreement. Moreover, technological cooperation on topics such as hydrogen or the ITER project for nuclear fusion form an important part of joint efforts in the field.

The agreement, struck at ministerial level during the EU-US Energy Council, will boost cooperation on energy policy and technology research. The council is set to provide a new framework for bilateral dialogue on global energy security and policies to move to low-carbon energy sources.

The first meeting of the Council was held on 4 November. However, there was little progress on the main topic of the summit, climate change. The summit declaration indicates no advances were made on the crucial issue of mid-term emission reduction targets. The document merely states that the post-Kyoto agreement should "aspire" to a goal of reducing global emissions by 50% by 2050 and refer to mid-term mitigation efforts by both developed and emerging economies.

The US has come under increasing pressure from the UN and the EU to clarify its reduction target for 2020 during the five-day UN climate talks currently taking place in Barcelona. At the same time, German Chancellor Angela Merkel made clear that an agreement in Copenhagen must keep global warming below 2°C.

ASME STRATEGIC ROADMAP ON WEBSITE

Over the past year, ASME Board of Governors has identified three critical areas where the organisation is poised to leverage the expertise of its members—as well as its rich and diverse products, services, and programmes—to play a leadership role on matters of global impact.

The three priorities are energy, global impact, and engineering workforce development.

To keep up-to-date on projects related to each of the three initiatives, a Website that will serve as a repository of up-to-date information on activities in each of the areas has been created. It also includes related articles and position statements.

The Website can be accessed directly at http://strategy.asme.org, or through asme.org, memagazine.org, or asmenews.org.

ASME VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY BULLETIN BOARD

Need to fill a position on one of your ASME committees or groups? Or are you interested in becoming more involved in the Society? Whichever the case, ASME now has a Web feature that can help — the ASME Volunteer Opportunity Bulletin Board (VOBB).

The bulletin board has been beta-testing for the first part of the year, but now its creators are hoping that the Society’s various sectors, sections and technical divisions will begin using it on a regular basis when looking for members to fill vacant volunteer positions. In addition to offering a list of volunteer positions that are open in various ASME areas, VOBB also provides the opportunity for ASME groups to post notices to recruit new group members.

ASME’s volunteer training unit, the VOLT Academy, established the bulletin board as a way to revitalise the Society’s team of volunteers. “We sincerely believe that there is great, untapped talent out there that wants to work for ASME,” said Bill Cousins, past ASME governor and chair of the VOLT Academy. “We think this is a very effective way of matching people who want to participate in the Society with ASME positions that need to be filled.”

Because any member can access the bulleting board, it helps dispel the notion “that ASME is an old boy’s network,” said Bill Weiblen, past ASME president and former VOLT Academy chair. “This tool opens up the process to people who otherwise may not know these positions are open. We think it will bring new life to the Society’s committees and teams.”

Current listings on VOBB include a mentor for an Engineers Without Borders chapter, a FIRST team coach, a mentor for the National Engineers Week Future City Competition, and members for the Committee for Early Career Development, and the Board on Strategic Management.

Potential volunteers can refer to the listings on the bulletin to board for details on the various volunteer openings, including the desired skills, qualifications and experience for each position. Information on the meetings a volunteer is required to attend, and the amount of time the volunteer is expected to spend each week on work related to the position is also included.

Volunteer leaders can use the site’s “I’d Like to Post a Volunteer Opportunity” link to recruit members for a volunteer committee or group. VOBB includes instructions for downloading and submitting the appropriate form for the open position.

To see first-hand how the Volunteer Opportunity Bulletin Board works, visit http://volunteer.asme.org/VOBB.

CONTRIBUTE AND WIN!

CONTRIBUTE to ASME EMEA eUpdate

ASME EMEA eUpdate is looking for contributions on the following topics (maximum of 300 words):

• Use and implementation of the ASME codes and standards in the EMEA region. How does your company implement the ASME codes and standards and what has been the impact on the business?
• Updates on technological developments on the following sectors: Nuclear power, Bioprocessing Equipment, Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, Oil and Gas Production and Transport, Boiler Pressure Vessel Equipment.

What’s in it for you?

• Gain visibility and exposure to over 27.000 mechanical engineering professionals in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
• Register for the 2010 European Training course in Amsterdam with the early bird fee

Please send your contribution and your photo, company logo or a company photo (jpg format, high resolution if possible). Send it to fortesc@asme.org

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Gain valuable knowledge, meet with colleagues and visit Amsterdam with the following courses:

Register Today and SAVE 100 euros with our Early bird fees*!

B31.1 Power Piping Design and Fabrication
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code - Section VIII, Division 1 – Design and Fabrication of Pressure Vessels
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code: Section III, Division 1: Rules for Construction of Nuclear Facility Components
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code: Section IX: Welding & Brazing Qualifications
Combination Course: Section VIII, Division 1: Design & Fabrication of Pressure Vessels & Inspection, Repairs and Alterations of Pressure Vessels
Geometric Dimensioning & Tolerancing Fundamentals
Inspection, Repairs and Alterations of Pressure Vessels
The Gas Turbine: Principles and Applications

For more details visit http://www.asme.org/Education/Europe/
* Early registration fee is valid until 21 December 2009

What past attendees have to say about ASME Training & Development courses:

"The best feature about the course was the instructor's expertise, who provided some information that is not necessarily detailed in the Code itself" (Anonymous - attended Section VIII Div 2 course in Stockholm, Sweden, June 2009)

"ASME training programme in Europe has given opportunities for more engineers to participate and to increase code awareness. The course also exposed me to more information on piping and provided strong insight into piping design" (Olabulo Adewale, Engineering, Head of Department at Oando PLC, Nigeria - attended B31.1 course in Stockholm, Sweden, June 2009)

In Partnership with
ALITUR (Associazione dei Laureati in Ingegneria di Tor Vergata, Università di Roma); BSMEE (Belgian Society of Mechanical and Environmental Engineering); Coordinamento Meccanica; DMS (Danish Society of Mechanical Engineers); FABI (La Maison de l'Ingénieur); IDA (Danish Society of Engineers); SNE (Spanish Nuclear Society).

Upcoming Courses

Other Educational Activities
ASME organises a variety of educational activities worldwide. Check the upcoming dates and locations and further your knowledge and ensure the next steps in your professional future.

For the online educational opportunities please click here

CONFERENCE AND EVENTS

ASME EMEA Events Calendar

Turbo Expo, ASME’s premier steam, wind and gas turbines technical congress and exposition, is a discussion forum for engineers, research scientists, academics, regulatory officials and business executives involved in the design, operation, and maintenance of gas turbines.

Turbo Expo 2010 highlights include:

• A five-day Technical Congress that sets the world standard for gas turbine technology events
• A three-day, premium exhibition of turbine products and services supported by leading companies in the industry
• A dynamic keynote session featuring prominent industry leaders
• A value-packed registration package that includes proceedings, access to all activities and abundant networking opportunities, including receptions and daily lunches
• In-depth workshops providing fundamental study on career development

Exhibition
Turbo Expo brings together the top players in the turbine industry and academia - attracting a key audience from aerospace, power generation and other prime mover-related industries. Exhibiting at Turbo Expo will maximise your ROI by placing your company in front of a focused target market, enabling you to generate high-quality leads to achieve your marketing objectives.

Exciting brand-enhancing sponsorship packages are also available! Packages are designed around your particular corporate goals and are an extremely effective way for your company to really stand out from the crowd – before, during and after the show.

More information on the opportunities that are available to you at Turbo Expo 2010, please click here. To ensure your company’s participation in the 2010 exposition or to secure a sponsorship, contact Geraldine Damar at +32 2 743 1543 or via email at damarg@asme.org.

Present Your Company at Turbo Expo 2010
Over 3,000 turbo machinery colleagues from all over the world will convene around technical topics related to gas turbines, steam turbines and wind turbines. Turbo Expo brings together the top players in the turbine industry and academia - attracting a key audience from aerospace, power generation and other prime mover-related industries.

We would like to invite your company to be present at Turbo Expo, either as a sponsor or exhibitor, and - like other key industry players - gain valuable exposure to our delegates to profile your company and share information on your latest technical developments. Whether you wish to reserve your exhibit space, an ad in the conference programme, or any other opportunity that will benefit your company, please turn to us at any time to discuss how we can help make your participation a marketing success.

We look forward to your participation in ASME TURBO EXPO 2010!

The ASME 2010 10th Biennial Conference on Engineering Systems Design and Analysis (ESDA 2010) will be held at Yeditepe University in Istanbul, Turkey from 12 to 14 July 2010.

The ASME ESDA Conferences are held every two years and have become the premier mechanical engineering conference in Europe. ESDA Conferences typically attract well over 400 technical papers and participants from over 40 countries.

We invite you to join us at ESDA2010. The conference will cover the whole spectrum of mechanical engineering, including:

• TRK 1 Advanced Energy Systems
• TRK 2 Advanced Materials and Tribology
• TRK 3 Applied Mechanics
• TRK 4 Automotive Engineering and Technologies
• TRK 5 Bioengineering and Biomedical Technology
• TRK 6 Computational Mechanics
• TRK 7 Design Engineering
• TRK 8 Dynamic Systems and Control
• TRK 9 Fluids Engineering
• TRK 10 Heat Transfer
• TRK 11 Manufacturing Systems
• TRK 12 Mechanisms and Robotics
• TRK 13 Mechatronics
• TRK 14 Micro and Nanotechnology
• TRK 15 Optical Engineering
• TRK 16 Science, Engineering & Education
• TRK 17 Systems Engineering

For more information: http://www.asmeconferences.org/esda2010/

DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY NEWS

FIRST EVER DISTRICT H ORAL PRESENTATION COMPETITION

The very first District H (Europe) Oral Presentation Competition was held on 24 September 2009 in London. The competition was hosted by King’s College London. The Old Guard Oral Presentation Competition, which is a common feature of SPDCs (Student Professional Development Conferences) in North America, was held for the first time in District H. There were three contestants, two from the UK&IRL Section and one from the Israel Section. The results of the competition are as follows:

First Place: Alex Scott, Loughborough University, UK, Title of presentation: “Mechatronics in Practice - Engineering a Self Guided Racer”; Prize: $1,000 plus an expenses paid trip to compete in the final competition at ASME's IMECE in Orlando in Florida;
Second Place: Iain Waugh, Cambridge University, UK; Title of presentation: "Testing parachutes at the edge of space"; Prize: $150
Third Place: Reuven Kawesch, Technion, Israel, Title of presentation: "Electric Vehicles"; Prize: $100

Photo: Iain (left), Reuven and Alex (right) at King’s
College, London after the Competition.

SUCCESS for DH at the 2009 ASME OLD GUARD ORAL PRESENTATION COMPETITION FINALS

Alex Scott came 3rd at the ASME Oral Presentation Competition Finals which took place during 2009 IMECE in Orlando, Florida. Mr Alex Scot, the winner of the DH competition attended the ASME IMECE and participated at the Old Guard Oral Presentation Competition to represent District H (Europe). He did very well at the competition to secure the third place. Many congratulations to Alex.

Mr Alex Scott (right) and Prof Memis Acar, Chair of the UK&IRL Section and Senior Advisor for Student Activities in District H (Europe) at the Dolphin Hotel in Orlando where the Old Guard Oral Presentation Competition Finals were held during 2009 ASME IMECE. Prof Acar represents District H on the ASME Student Sections Committee.

The prizes which are awarded by the ASME Old Guard Committee are as follows: First Place: $2,000; Second Place: $1,500; Third Place: $1,000 and Fourth Place: $500. "I've made many presentations as a student and engineer, but this competition was an amazing opportunity for me to share my passion for presenting as well as for engineering with my peers. Being able to represent my district was a real honour at the competition finals in Orlando to have representatives from each ASME District around the world. Meeting so many other young engineers with the same enthusiasm for engineering as me has inspired me further to help encourage student participation in the UK and Europe. I hope that district H will be represented at even more of the ASME student competitions in the coming years, and that my participation will encourge other students to step up to the challenge." - Alex Scott

ASME PUBLICATIONS

Book of the month

Quick Guide to Welding and Weld Inspection, by Clifford Matthews

This book was written to provide a quick guide to welding inspection that is easy to read and understand. It is difficult to find books specifically covering weld inspection requirements. This book will give you a basic understanding of the subject and so help you decide if you need to look further. In many cases the depth of knowledge required for any particular welding-related subject will be dependent on specific industry requirements.

Buy Online: http://catalog.asme.org/books/PrintBook/Quick_Guide_Welding_Weld.cfm

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