ASM International Philadelphia Liberty Bell Chapter Newsletter for Thursday, November 17, 2005, National Officers Night

Chairperson's Message
Thursday, November 17, 2005
National Officers Night - Joint Meeting with Lehigh ASM Chapter

Greetings Philadelphia ASM Family & Friends,

In light of our upcoming National Holiday, I thought I would approach my message to you in November a little differently. So...10 Things for Which the ASM "Liberty Bell" Chapter Can be Thankful.

10. A recent, successful tour of Handy & Harman Specialty Tube Company. Many thanks to Don Jordan for organizing it, to H&H for hosting it, and to everyone who attended for, well, attending it! (These things don't work without people, you know.)

9. Partnerships with other Philadelphia area professional and engineering societies. ASNT, AWMI, AWS, ASME and other groups help us reach more people and meet more needs than we could on our own.

8. The Internet. (No, this is not an Al Gore joke.) The Internet and e-mail have enabled the Chapter to begin advertising with our monthly Newsletter, which helps to offset some of the costs of being a non-profit organization. Let's hear it for Technology!

7. Speaking of offsetting costs, Meeting Sponsors. Do you like beer? And food? Me, too. Companies who agree to sponsor technical meetings enable us to keep your dinner costs lower and to keep beer and wine available during the social hour.

6. The presence of seven new people on our Executive & Operating Committee. New people bring new energy and new ideas to the Chapter, which help us serve you better. Which brings me to...

5. Volunteers. Dozens of these are energetically and enthusiastically giving of their time, perpetually working behind the scenes, spanning the globe to bring you a constant variety ofÉtechnical programs. And plant tours. And scholarships, poster and essay contests, newsletters, meeting sponsors and a wonderful yearbook that serves as the trademark of this great ASM chapter, just to name a few.

4. The 2005-06 Technical Program. Have you looked at the last page in your Yearbook? We've got distinguished university professors and ambitious grad students, entrepreneurs, accomplished engineers with both business and non-profit organizations, a variety of materials and processes, analysis and discussion to interest almost anybody.

3. Dr. Reza Abbaschian, FASM, who is the 2005-06 President of ASM International and will make Philadelphia one of the first chapters to be graced with his presence in that role.

2. Safety. These are truly sobering times, with unprecedented natural disasters both at home and abroad. The Philadelphia area has been blessed to be spared such a fate. May we also be blessed in helping those who were not.

1. Turkey! OK, so it's not exactly an engineering material, but there sure will be a lot of it available this month. Enjoy it, and your holidays, and we'll see you in January!

Happy Thanksgiving,
Travis M. Nelson
2005-06 Chapter Chair

This Month's Meeting Features...

Dinner Menu: Fresh Garden Salad, Roasted Top Sirloin of Beef, Baked Stuffed Potatoe, String Beans Almondine Chocolate Parfait.

Social Hour -- 6:00-7:00 p.m., Dinner -- 7:00 p.m.

Price -- $24.00, Retirees -- $15.00, Students -- $12.00

Technical Chairperson: Travis Nelson, Materials Resouces International

Meeting Sponsors: Craig Clauser Engineering Consulting, Newage Testing Instruments Inc., and Singmaster Personnel Services

This Month's Meeting Topic...
Cartridge Brass Metallurgy: Structure, Property, Formability and Ammunition Cartridge Manufacturing and Performance

Speaker: Frederick. E. Schmidt, Jr. PhD, PE, CEF, FASM, Trustee (2004-2007)

Dr. Frederick E. Schmidt, Jr. oversees the materials consulting function of Engineering Systems Inc. as Technical Director, Materials Engineering. His broad consulting practice spans from design and performance of complex engineered systems to consumer products. He received his B.S. degree in metallurgical engineering (1968), and his M.S. (1970) and his Ph.D. (1994) in materials science from Drexel University. In 1981, he became a registered Professional Engineer in Pennsylvania.

As a Consultant (1972) and Research Fellow (1989) with E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., Inc., Dr. Schmidt provided creative solutions to materials and processing problems associated with new products and technologies. Ceramics, polymers, elastomers and advanced coatings were frequently engineered in unique configurations for new or improved products. As Chief Metallurgist (1989-1997) for Remington Arms, he had design responsibility to specify materials, manufacturing processes and abuse-test five advanced firearm products in just eight years.

Dr. Schmidt has published and presented more than 50 papers including such diverse subject matters as slurry erosion, firearm design, tribology, and lubrication testing methodology. He has been a regular contributor to ASM's Practical Failure Analysis journal, writing for the ãPoint/Counter Pointä feature. Failure analysis has been a long-time hobby that parallels his interest in the historical development of materials throughout the Industrial Revolution, and the progressive use of modern materials in design.

Dr. Schmidt enjoys teaching and has served as Adjunct Professor at the University of Delaware, Mechanical and Aerospace Department, and currently teaches focused courses for ASM and American Electroplaters & Surface Finishers (AESF) as well as industry. He is active in the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and has served as President of the Delaware State Council of Engineering Societies. He has received ASMâs Allan Ray Putnam National Service Award (1991) and the Instructor of Merit Award (2001). Schmidt joined ASM in 1963 and was named a Fellow in 2002 for his contributions to materials design. He is active in both the Rockford Chapter and the Chicago Regional Chapter.

TOPIC: Cartridge Brass Metallurgy: Structure, Property, Formability and Ammunition Cartridge Manufacturing and Performance

Since 1968 Dr. Schmidt has been a student of the science and art of brass metallurgy. While at Drexel University, he performed state-of-the-art analyses of crystallographic texture, grain size, and formability of 70Cu/30Zn cartridge brass, an ideal material for formability modeling. Subsequently, that basis allowed him to conduct problem solving investigations involving manufacturing, surface finishing, new processes and product developments in copper & brass alloys. These interesting case histories will be discussed as they relate to electrical connectors, ammunition, and firearms design and performance.

One historical focus area of his talk will be the SCAMP, Small Caliber Ammunition Modernization Process developed by Philadelphia's Frankfort Arsenal in the 19'70's and later implemented at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP) in Kansas City in the 1980's. In the 1990's, Fred led a team that subsequently reduced a scrap rate exceeding 40% to less than 0.5%, saving tax payers $35 million per year. A colorful description of the political, technical and problem solving challenges will be offered to encourage professional risk taking.

Meeting Registration -- Spouses and guests are invited and welcome. This meeting will be held at Williamson Restaurant, Easton Road, Horsham, PA. Reservations are necessary - you may register using our online form, or if you do not have access to the website, or if you have a large group attending, please contact Rob DeKalb at 215-542-7600 to register. Please don't call if you have already reserved via this web site LINK.

Welcome New Members

Jeff Anderson, Consarc Corp.
Sharon Bergman
Sheryl Bergman, Saint Rose HS
Leo J. Brancato, Pemberton Twp HS
Elender R. Bryant, Northeast HS
Craig J. Buszka, Montgomery HS
Kaitlin Casper, Our Lady Of Mercy Acad.
Michael Ehrlich, Franklin HS
Peter Gange, Middlesexboro HS
John Gardner, Haddonfield Mem. HS
Marcy Gever, Voorhees HS
Teresa C. Haney, Winslow HS
Graham Keough, Consarc Corp.
Ryan J. Kirby, Paul VI HS
Bruce Klauba, VSR Technology Group
Pamela Knight, Drexel University
Cheryl Laviola, Rumson Fair Haven HS
Michael Lister, Metlab Potero
Laura Jean Lucca, Gloucester Catholic HS
James McGinley, Gloucester Catholic HS
Richard Mullin, Karosserie Ltd.
Brian Phillips, St. JosephÕs Prep School
Gina Piccioni, Merion Mercy Academy
Ryan Powell, Cherokee HS
Thomas Pullizzi, Trenton HS
Harry Rheam, Eastern HS
Jessica Rossello, Merion Mercy Academy
Meagan Sloan, Merion Mercy Academy
John Spain, Kingsbury Inc.
Blair Thomas, Mast Charter School
Curtis Todd, Pennsville Memorial HS
Dieu Troung, Fels HS
Shawn Varvghese, Hatboro Horsham HS
Roger Weiss, Sayreville War Mem. HS
Erin Welsh, Hamilton HS West
Cynthia Whitley-Jones, DHS Burlington Proj.
Stephanie Yost, Saint Basil Academy
Shaw Yu, Hatboro Horsham HS

Upcoming Events. . .

Tuesday 11-8-05, MEI Course - Welding Inspection & Quality Control, SPS Technologies

Thursday 11-17-05, National Officers Night / Joint Mtg. with Lehigh ASM Chapter, Topic: Progress in Growth of Diamond Crystals, Williamson Restaurant, Horsham, PA, 6:00 pm

Thursday 1-19-06, Eisenman Award Night, Topic: Powder Metallurgy - A Long Term Growth Technology, Williamson Restaurant, Horsham, PA, 6:00 pm

Thursday 2-16-06, Continuing Education Night, Topic: Managing Materials Degradation in the Nuclear Power Industry, Williamson Restaurant, Horsham, PA, 6:00 pm

MEI course - Welding Inspection & Quality Control

The Liberty Bell Chapter of ASM and the Greater Philadelphia Section of ASNT are announcing this year's MEI Course. The first class will be on Tuesday, November 8th at SPS Technologies. [Click Here] for complete details.

Now Sending E-Newsletter

During the 2005-06 Chapter year the Liberty Bell Chapter will have an e-newsletter in addition to the familiar blue mailer. This will allow us to make late additions to the newsletter. Our current closing date is a full 6 or 7 weeks before the monthly meeting to allow time for printing and third class mail. We shoot for having it delivered during the first week of the month. The e-newsletter will close several weeks later. This will also give you a choice of how you wish to receive the chapter news.

We are planning to include business card size ads in the e-newsletter. You can run an ad for a one time fee of $100 for 8 placements This is a very economical way to reach the 400 Philadelphia ASM members with e-mail. If you wish to run a one time job placement ad, those ads can be run for a monthly fee of $25. Contact Jim Watters or Anna Whitehead for more information.

Support Your Local Chapter

by advertising in the 2004-2005 Liberty Bell Chapter Yearbook. Please contact Mike Drakeley at 215-721-1502 x 213 or mjd@solaratm.com to reserve your space..

Mission Statement

The Philadelphia "Liberty Bell" Chapter of ASM International supports the development and continuance of the materials industry in the Philadelphia area. Chapter activities strive to inform the local technical community of new developments in materials, raise the visibility of the materials industry, provide educational opportunities in materials technology, recruit new people and organizations into materials-related activities, and provide networking opportunities for members of the materials community. The Chapter works with ASM International to use our joint resources to accomplish this mission.

Changes To Your Membership Information

Any Chapter Member who needs to make a change to their membership listing or to their company affiliation listing must call Membership Service, ASM International at 1-800-336-5152 or use the ASM website at www.asminternational.org. This will permanently update your information.

We depend on ASM International to receive our updated mailing list for this newsletter. So please do not sent information to the return address on this newsletter.

Meeting Cancellation Notification

In the event of cancellation of a meeting due to inclement weather, we will broadcast the news as part of KYW News radio's (1060AM) Storm Center Service. ASM cancellations will be specifically announced when KYW airs community cancellations at :20 and :50 past each hour during the afternoon of the day of the meeting. ASM's name will be specifically mentioned, so listen for the name rather than an organization number as is used for schools.

Do you have news...

that should be shared with the other members of the "Liberty Bell" Chapter? If so, please email your info to Anna Whitehead at aj.whitehead@att.net. Be sure to add the phrase "Item to add to the ASM Chapter newsletter" in the subject line. We'll be sure to include it in the next monthly Chapter newsletter.

For more info about the ASM Liberty Bell Chapter. . .

Contact Chapter Chairperson Travis M. Nelson at 215-631-7111 x 103 or email: tnelson@materialsresources.com.

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