Below you'll find the top resources from 2012 as determined by the attendance and interest for in-person education, online courses, webinars, books and podcasts. If you feel that one of your favorites was left off the list, feel free to mention it in the comments. There was a lot of competition for the top spots as we had a great schedule this year, and that wouldn't have been possible without all our volunteers and instructors. Thank you all for making this a great year! For a full list of our offerings and to explore on your own, visit the STLE Store or see our Events Calendar for upcoming events.
Popular Courses at the 2012 Annual Meeting
-Advanced Lubrication 301: This course will be offered again in 2013
-Basic Lubrication 103 (Overview): Basic 101 & 102 were condensed to create this course, and it was still well-attended. The classic Basic 101 & Basic 102 courses will be offered in 2013
-Automotive Lubrication 201 - Diesel: the 2013 course will focus on Gasoline engines
-Synthetics 203: Non-Petroleum Fluids & Their Uses - this course will be offered again in 2013, with Synthetics 204 being offered again in 2014.
-MWF 115: Basic Metal Removal Fluids was also well-attended this past year. And if you liked that course, you may be interested in MWF 250: Understanding & Controlling Metal Removal Fluid Failure.
[Click here] for a full list of the courses to be offered at the 2013 Annual Meeting, including course instructors, module descriptions and agendas. Registration is now open, and the early bird deadline will save you some money on your registration, so be sure to include it in your 2013 budget!
Highest Attended Webinars of 2012
The Food Grade and Condition Monitoring Data Interpretation Series were some of the highest attended, attracting 100+ attendees each! Individual events also did quite well.
-Food Grade Lubrication Series: the series covered all aspects of lubrication and related regulations. If you're interested in purchasing, you can get the series at a 10-15% discount. The series included: Grease and its Use in Food Processing, Food Grade Lubricants, and Food Grade Lubricants & Their Regulations.
-Condition Monitoring Series: This series covered a lot of ground on interpreting data and reading reports. If you're interested in purchasing, you can get the series at a 10% discount, or you can purchase each event on its own as it piques your interest. The series included: Alarm Limits, Spectrographic Data Interpretation Part I: Contaminants & Wear, Spectrographic Data Interpretation Part II: Additive Metals, Physical Properties Data Interpretation, Additional Testing (FTIR, AN, BN, and Particle Counts) and Advanced Report Reading.
-VOC Emissions from Metalworking Fluids
-Hydraulic Fluid Properties and Hydraulic Systems - A Vital Link
-Tribological Perspective on Engine Friction Reduction
-Heavy Duty Diesel Engine Oils: Emission Strategies and Their Effects on Engine Oils
-Basics of Additives
If you're interested in other topics, feel free to check out our other post which features all webinars to-date, grouped by topic. You can also start planning your attendance with our 2013 schedule, with events listed through April. If you don't see something you like, make a suggestion and we'll work to include it later in the year.
Top Online Education Course of 2012
-Fundamentals of Lubrication Certificate Course: this interactive, four-module online course covers friction, lubrication and wear with handy Check Your Knowledge and quiz questions along the way to aid with material retention and understanding. At the end of each module, you'll find a quiz to reinforce the material, and when you get to the end of the course, you can take an assessment to demonstrate the knowledge you just learned, and earn a certificate which you can print and hang in your office or provide to management. This course (and all of our online courses/webinars) also applies towards your recertification efforts, giving you 2.5 hours towards the 8 required hours towards requirement #12. See your designation's recertification requirements for details.
If you liked the Fundamentals, you may also like our other online courses, which are shorter and provide the information you need, when you need it.
-Metalworking Fluids Short Course: includes modules on types and functions of metalworking fluids and the guidelines for recommending specific metal removal fluids for an applications.
-Lubricant Composition Short Course: includes modules on base oils, additives and greases.
-Fluid Management & Recycling Short Course: includes modules on justifying the implementation of a program/cost savings and best practices for implementing a program at your site.
-Basic Lubrication Short Course: taking less time and with fewer quizzes than the Fundamentals course, this covers the same material in half the time for those who need to get the info and go.
Popular Books in 2012
-Basic Handbook of Lubrication, 3rd Edition: Perfect or Spiral Bound
-Machinery Oil Analysis
Most Accessed Podcasts in 2012
-Biobased Fuels & Biobased Lubricants with Dr. Joseph M. Perez, Penn State
-Metalworking Fluid Microbicides with Dr. Fred Passman, BCA, Inc.
-Metalworking Fluids and Chemical Additives with Dr. Neil Canter, Chemical Solutions
-Nanotribology & MEMS: There's Still Plenty of Room at the Bottom, with Dr. Michael Dugger
-What's it like to be an STLE member? Get details directly from new members who joined during the Member Get A Member Campaign - see why they joined and the benefits they've enjoyed since they joined.
Be sure to check out our Best of 2011 Education for more info on what was popular last year, and those that maintained their "cool-kid" status from year to year.
What was your favorite of the year? Why was it your favorite?
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Friday, December 14, 2012
Webinar Archive - Suggestions Just For You
Maximize Your Professional Development with the STLE Webinar Archive
All events from 2011 and 2012 have been grouped by topic, so you can find archived events that may be of interest to you. Archived webinars include presentation slides and recording of the presentation (audio synched with slides), assessment/survey (for recertification), and related articles as well as presenter contact information, so you can follow up with any questions.
If you haven't attended a webinar yet, and you're not sure if it's for you, check out some of the testimonials we've received (we're blushing!):
- "STLE Webinars provide extremely useful information with access to industry leaders - all from the comfort of my own office, so I can participate from a remote location. I get to learn new concepts and brush up on the fundamentals without traveling." - Attendee
- "Webinars provide good information that's easy to access, and at a reasonable price." - James Fields, President, J. Follace Oil, Inc.
Looking for something specific? See below for webinars that fall into your area of interest. The link will take you to the event information, and then you can visit the STLE Store to purchase.
FUNDAMENTALS
BEARINGS & GEARS
CONDITION MONITORING
— Advanced Data Interpretation/Alarm Limits (start of the CM Data Interpretation Series, 10% discount on all 6 recordings; as listed below)
— Additional Testing (FTIR, AN, BN, Particle Counting)
ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN
FOOD GRADE - available as part of the Food Grade Series - includes 3 events below
GOING GREEN
GREASE, COATINGS
SYNTHETICS & HYDRAULICS
METALWORKING
SALES
For more information, see the in-progress schedule for 2013. January through April feature some
great topics, but we're still working on the rest of the year. If you have suggestions, now would be
the time to speak up!
Have you attended any of the above? What'd you think?
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
How to Live with a Tribologist
What can you learn from a spouse or loved one who is a tribologist/lubrication engineer? Lots!
Wendy Schrama (wife of Rick Schrama, a long-time STLE member) previously gave a very entertaining talk at the Hamilton Section, and we decided we wanted to learn more about what it takes to support a spouses' passion for tribology throughout 30+ years of marriage.
Sniegowski: Tell us a little about yourself.
Sniegowski: How familiar were you with tribology before meeting your husband?
Sniegowski: What are some quirky or unique qualities you find in a tribologist?
Sniegowski: Any advice for others in the same situation?
Schrama: Do not expect to learn it all. But you can learn and relate by thinking of tribology and it's role in the real world - like with your knees or a car engine. It might help make sense of it all. You also need to realize that tribology is a massive subject, and a very complex science. Not even a tribologist can know it all.
Our final note: And that's what makes it so interesting!
Have you had a similar experience? How do you explain your profession to your family?
Wendy Schrama (wife of Rick Schrama, a long-time STLE member) previously gave a very entertaining talk at the Hamilton Section, and we decided we wanted to learn more about what it takes to support a spouses' passion for tribology throughout 30+ years of marriage.
Sniegowski: Tell us a little about yourself.
Schrama: I have been a Registered Nurse since 1976 and have worked in all areas of nursing. To keep my mind active I became addicted to learning and obtained three degrees. I am presently studying law at a college and plan to become a paralegal. Rick and I have an engineering consulting business and since Rick has semi-retired our business, Tribological Services, has become our focus.
Sniegowski: What made you decide to speak on this topic? How’d you get the idea?
Schrama: The idea of sharing what life is like with a tribologist and how I have managed to “survive” has always been a part of me. Rick, who sits on the Board of the Hamilton Chapter of the STLE asked me if I would be willing to speak on this topic for the section's Spousal Night (spouses are invited to attend the regular monthly meeting). They usually get a magician or an illusionist to entertain the guests, but this was different. I was flattered to be asked, so I said yes - Rick had already come up with the title.
Sniegowski: How familiar were you with tribology before meeting your husband?
Schrama: I had no clue! After we met, I went to see Dofasco's new hot mill. When I got home, Rick asked me if I saw the bearings. I pretended I did, but was thinking “what's a bearing?” In short...I knew nothing at all. However, I'm addicted to learning and Rick had a bunch of tribology magazines laying around, so I read some of the articles. I then started to read some of the chapters he was writing for various books. As time went on, I understood more and more about the complex - and I mean very complex - world of tribology. It also helped when I heard how tribology plays a role in the engine of a car and in the human body. With both there is lubrication, wear and friction and having real world examples was key.
Sniegowski: What are some quirky or unique qualities you find in a tribologist?
Schrama: Tribologists (or just my husband) tend to keep everything they have. Rick's home office (and the garage, for that matter) are packed full or articles, publications and books (see right!)
Sniegowski: How was your talk received at the section meeting? What kind of response did you get?
Schrama: I wanted the talk to be light-hearted, as this was supposed to be an enjoyable night. Within 10 seconds I had the audience laughing and the more they laughed, the more enjoyable the talk became. I saw a woman nodding her head at each slide, and someone else mentioned another unique quality - tribologists do not stop talking!
Sniegowski: Any advice for others in the same situation?
Schrama: Do not expect to learn it all. But you can learn and relate by thinking of tribology and it's role in the real world - like with your knees or a car engine. It might help make sense of it all. You also need to realize that tribology is a massive subject, and a very complex science. Not even a tribologist can know it all.
Our final note: And that's what makes it so interesting!
Have you had a similar experience? How do you explain your profession to your family?
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