The 2010 edition of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, including updates and revisions to meet changes in industry practices, is available from ASME.

The code establishes rules of safety relating to the design, construction, operation, testing, and maintenance of boilers, transport tanks, nuclear power plant components, and other pressure systems.

Previously issued in 2007, the new code incorporates many changes that reflect advancements in design, materials, construction methods, and applications. The 2010 edition contains changes and revisions in eleven of its twelve sections, including new specifications and rules addressing nondestructive evaluation, nuclear components, welding and brazing, and ferrous and nonferrous materials.

The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code is referenced by purchasers, regulators, inspectors, insurers and municipal authorities worldwide. A volunteer group of more than 800 engineers drawn from varied industries develops and maintains the code. More than 92,000 copies of the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code are in use around the world. To order the code, call ASME at +1 (800) 843-2763.

Also related:

Training courses on Boiler Pressure Vessel Code in Copenhagen, Denmark, on the 27 September – 1 October 2010.

• BPV Code, Section III, Division 1: Class 1, 2 & 3 Piping Design
• Non-Destructive Examination — Applying ASME Code Requirements (BPV Code, Section V)
• Inspection, Repairs and Alterations of Pressure Vessels
• BPV Code, Section VIII, Division 1: Design & Fabrication of Pressure Vessels
• Combination Course BPV Code, Section VIII, Division 1 & Inspection, Repairs and Alterations of Pressure Vessels  
• Advanced Design and Construction of Nuclear Facility Components per BPV Code, Section III

As I begin my term as the 129^th president of ASME, I firmly believe that ASME’s leadership, volunteers, staff and members will set a clearer course in our journey to carrying out the Society’s mission and vision. I welcome the opportunity to continue efforts to keep ASME a responsive, agile Society, and one that serves its members and continues to be a dynamic voice for engineers.

When industries, the public, and engineering leadership face crisis situations such the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico or the rebuilding of infrastructure following earthquakes and other catastrophes — whatever the need — ASME is responding in ways we can best produce results. This is by helping to convene experts and leaders from the appropriate technology communities though upcoming conferences and other venues, where we can host discussions on key issues such as lessons learned, best practices and ways to improve risk-management processes. Together, we will find the solutions.

Our global economy continues to provide opportunities for ASME to lead with technical solutions that will redefine innovation, especially in parts of our globe that need us most. Our three strategic priorities (the energy grand challenge, global impact, and engineering workforce development) are the focus to achieving our objectives. These priorities frame the growth areas that will help members provide leadership that benefits not only us, but also for the greater good of the world.

ASME also has given considerable attention to diversity issues, which relate to ASME’s core values on integrity and respect, and I wholeheartedly concur that diversity has to be a priority if our Society is to remain relevant and innovative. ASME needs to strengthen its diversity in all its forms, from age and gender to ethnicity and an ability to listen and accept differing views. Through the work of our task force and special project teams and in review of policies, ASME will continue to work toward creating an environment where early career engineers, women and other underrepresented groups can reach their highest potential as leaders in this Society and our profession.

The ASME experience is one that can last a lifetime, inclusive of early school years, engineering students, early-career and mid-level engineers, as well as for those professionals reaching their senior leadership years. I believe that ASME must constantly identify and actively promote programmes that address the needs of these individuals. We need to fulfill our mission to serve their diverse needs and our vision to be the essential resource for them.

Bob Simmons, ASME President

People learn in different ways, and when it comes to self-study courses, new technologies are making it possible to offer more educational options than ever before. Self-study courses were once limited to printed material only. Now new media have broadened to the point where it is possible to have real-time interaction over the Internet. This is what we call: Distance learning.

Distance learning is a type of study in which individuals learn on their own, at their own pace, anytime, anywhere—through the use of computer-based training, the Internet, videos, and text or workbooks.

One type of distance learning is computer-based training on a CD-ROM, which comes with a printed manual. With this method, you can go through the material as many times as necessary. You can also proceed from start to finish, or jump around, selecting various topics of interest in more random fashion.

Convenience and cost are the main reasons to take a distance learning course. Such a course eliminates travel expenses and time away from the office. You can fit it into your busy schedule at a convenient time. In addition, with computer-based training, video, and traditional text self-study courses, you can take the course when you need it. You don't have to wait until it's offered.

Furthermore, some of the distance learning courses can be used within a group to promote discussion. For instance, a company may wish to purchase a video distance learning course and a set of notes for a group of its employees. The group can have a breakfast meeting, view the video, and then discuss its subject matter. This is a good way for people in the company to gain knowledge and share ideas on a relevant subject, keep in touch with each other, and accrue professional development hours without disrupting the workday (or week) too much.

Benefits of Distance Learning:

• Any time - You can choose when you study - 3pm or 3am
• Any amount of time - The amount of time is up to you too - five minutes or five hours
• Anywhere - At home, at work, on the train or on the plane - take your course along on your laptop or PDA
• What - We are adding new courses all the time - from a short technical course to an MBA
• How - Distance Learning can be a book, an audiocassette, a videocassette, on your PDA, a CD-ROM or a connection to the Internet. It can include interaction with an instructor in real time through email, voice or visual means
• Expertise to go - Get expert commentary on technical topics that you can carry with you
• Credentials - Get great credentials from internationally known universities without leaving home or career. CEUs are available for certain courses as well.

Take a free online course to get a feeling of what it is like to take an online course: http://www.asme.org/education/courses/online/Free_Online_Course.cfm

Visit the ASME product catalog for all ASME continuing education online courses, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and videos: http://catalog.asme.org/home.cfm?Category=ED&ProductFormat=ONC,ONP

A certain number of online courses are also available in Spanish. For ASME courses in Spanish, go to http://www.asme.org/Education/Courses/Online/Cursos_en_espanol.cfm

“Distance learning – online courses, webinars, and similar opportunities – is not new in itself, but it can provide a significant new capacity in workforce development, one that opens the door to individual endeavor and accomplishment.” Thomas M. Barlow, ASME President (2008-2009).

You too can join our courses and significantly increase your technical knowledge in ASME codes! The next programme will be taking place in the beautiful city of Copenhagen, Denmark, in collaboration with our partner the Danish Mechanical Society (DMS/IDA).

• Comparison of Global Quality Assurance and Management System Standards Used for Nuclear Applications
• BPV Code, Section III, Division 1: Class 1, 2 & 3 Piping Design
• Non-Destructive Examination — Applying ASME Code Requirements (BPV Code, Section V)
• Inspection, Repairs and Alterations of Pressure Vessels
• BPV Code, Section VIII, Division 1: Design & Fabrication of Pressure Vessels
• Combination Course BPV Code, Section VIII, Division 1 & Inspection, Repairs and Alterations of Pressure Vessels
• B31.1 Power Piping Design and Fabrication
• ASME NQA-1-2008/1A-2009 Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Applications
• Advanced Design and Construction of Nuclear Facility Components per BPV Code, Section III

Make sure you register before 17 August to receive a significant discount on the registration fee! Visit http://www.asme.org/education/europe for more information. 

Note that all ASME courses can be customised and brought to your company premises for you and your colleagues only! Contact us at EuropeTraining@asme.org to discuss in-company training opportunities and receive more information on how ASME can help you become a leader in your sector.

Many distance learning opportunities are also available to you: webinars, CD-Roms and instructor-led trainings will provide you with significant insight without leaving your office. More information is available at
http://www.asme.org/Education/Europe/DistanceLearning/

Members of our partners can benefit from special fees. For more details visit http://www.asme.org/Education/Europe/

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.

15th Blade Mechanics Semina, September, Winterthur, Switzerland

The Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in Winterthur hosted the 14th Blade Mechanics Seminar, in cooperation with ASME Europe, on September 2, 2009 for the first time. After the successful and well attended seminar last year, the ZHAW is about to organize this year’s 15th Blade Mechanics Seminar (1 September 2010, Winterthur, Switzerland), which will be held in a similar theoretical and practical framework with a variety of interesting topics.

The unchanged key target is to offer a platform for knowledge and experience exchange among engineers from various turbomachinery companies. The Blade Mechanics Seminar aims to answer the participants’ needs coming from their daily work on axial and radial bladed discs of aero- and heavy-duty engines. All presentations will be given in common engineering terms by using comprehensible mathematics.

Early bird fees are until 13 August. For more information visit: http://www.imes.zhaw.ch/blade-mechanics-seminar

Spanish Nuclear Society (SNE) Annual Meeting, 6-8 October 2010

The Spanish Nuclear Society (SNE) will hold its 36th Annual Meeting from 6 - 8 October 2010 in the historical city of Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

This meeting is the most important event held by the Spanish nuclear industry gathering professionals and companies from Spain and other European countries that work in the nuclear sector. Previous meetings have been a success not only because of quantity - the events attracted up to 500 participants and presented more than 250 technical papers - but also because of the quality of the reports submitted. A variety of sessions will cover the main developments of the nuclear sector in Spain, as well as the most important advances and innovations that have taken place in other countries.

This year the event will be organised in partnership with the European Nuclear Society (ENS).

For more information or to register, visit: http://www.reunionanualsne.es or send an email to: reunionanual@sne.es

Announcement and Technical Programme - 9th EDF/LMS Poitiers Workshop
FUTUROSCOPE – 7-8 October, 2010

This conference is primarily intended to allow industrial and academic researchers to meet and share experiences relating to improving performance levels and assessment of adverse conditions. This workshop will provide the opportunity for participants to learn about various recent work carried out in the field of bearings and identifying problems faced by industry, while promoting joint discussion on topics of general interest. This conference is organised jointly by the Department GMSC (ex LMS) Institute P '(UPR 3346, CNRS-Université de Poitiers-ENSMA) and EDF R&D that has long term experience in modeling and exploitation rotating machinery. This technical seminar takes place under the “umbrella” of the French section of the ASME and the AFM (Association Française de Mécanique).

For more information visit: http://edf-lms.conference.univ-poitiers.fr/workshop2010/

ASME EMEA eUpdate caught up with Michel FILLON, Dr., HDR, Directeur de Recherche CNRS, to discuss the highlights of this workshop.

ASME EMEA eUpdate: What are the main highlights and benefits of these workshops?
MF- The problems of everyday on any type of machine are presented either by the industrials themselves or by researchers from university by working on practical cases. Far from the simple analysis of perfect mechanisms, the bearing geometry, the environment and the operation conditions on real machines are not ideal; the bushing surface can be worn, deformed or scratched or the lubricant can be polluted with solid particles or by water. The influence of the adverse operating conditions on the bearing behaviour is shown; the more important point is that the limit of safe operating conditions can be defined. The risk catastrophic configurations such seizure of the bearings are studied and the solutions to eliminate or reduce the risk are discussed by several authors. According to the standard environmental, different material are prohibited in bearings and so, new type of material such PTFE or PEEK are tested and used both thrust and journal bearings. The use of such material is more and more employed, enlarging the domain of applications. All those progresses can be learned and discussed during the meeting and a lot of contacts are created between the participants.

ASME EMEA eUpdate: What makes this event unique?
MF - Each year, a lot of general conferences in the field of Tribology and Lubrication are proposed all around the world but such a workshop dedicated to specific practical problems is unique. On the other hand, there are no parallel sessions which permit to the attendees to assist to all the presentations and the discussions. One year, the workshop is on the bearings and the following year, it is on the sealing. Most of the presentations are on practical aspects which make the meeting very attractive for both the bearing manufacturers and the bearing users: around 70 percent of the attendees are coming from the industry. However, the researchers from universities are happy to present latest theories and modelling useful for the predictions of the bearing behaviour operating under unusual conditions. Thus, this year, the EDF/Pprime Poitiers workshop provides an opportunity for researchers and practitioners from Industry and Academia to gather and share knowledge regarding the improvement of bearing performance and the evaluation of adverse conditions.

Design and Analysis of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Components in the Creep Range, By Maan H. Jawad, Robert I. Jetter

In this book, a brief introduction to the general principles of design at elevated temperatures is given with extensive references cited for further in-depth understanding of the subject. A key feature of the proposed book is the use of examples to illustrate the practical application of the design and analysis methods presented.

For practicing design engineers in the power and process industries, particularly those in involved with pressure equipment, nuclear structures, petrochemical equipment, and their supervisors.

Buy Online: http://asmedl.aip.org/ebooks/asme/asme_press/802847

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