Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Rewards just for renewing!

May marked the one year anniversary of the membership Renewal Rewards - a newer program that rewards members for renewing their membership on time (something you were probably going to do anyway!). All you have to do is renew your membership on time, and you're automatically entered. If your name is chosen, you win a free webinar or online short course.

Latest winners:
  • Bob Hoffman, Western Region Engineering Manager, Nye Lubricants
  • James King, Desilube Technology, Inc.
  • Lyle Branagan, Manager, Pioneer Motor Bearing Co.
  • John Cuthbert, Technical Services, Dow Chemical Company
See what some of the winners have to say about the program:
  • "I was definitely surprised to win the drawing and I'm looking forward to my free webinar! STLE is certainly an organization that promotes continuous learning and that's a big reason I continue to renew my membership each year." - Bob Cisler, Product Formulation Chemist, Castrol Industrial Americas, Inc.
  • “As an active member of STLE, I am very happy to have won the drawing and look forward to growing my knowledge base by taking one of the online short courses.  Being active in STLE is an excellent way to continue to learn about new advancements in our field as well as to network with other professionals in our industry.” - Sunny Lopez, Director of Industrial Products, ConocoPhillips Lubricants
  • “I don’t recall how long I’ve been a member of STLE, but it’s been a while!  If I had to single out one benefit of being a member of STLE that has helped the most, it would have to be the training programs and the certification programs. I obtained my CLS certification last year.  The additional level of credibility that those three little letters can add with colleagues and customers was well worth the blood, sweat, and tears of preparing, studying, and finally taking the CLS Exam.  Keep up the good work! I look forward to my next webinar or short course … on the house!” - Greg Kasdorf, OEM Manager, Eastern Oil Company 
  • "Thank you STLE for providing access to an excellent knowledge base via the STLE University and for championing accreditation in the lubrication and metalworking industries. It is indeed a privilege to be a part of such a great organization of professionals." - Brett Reynolds, Sales Rep, Blaser Swisslube Inc.
Plus, if you're a member, you can get involved in our Member Get A Member campaign (MGAM). If you recruit a member, you'll be automatically entered into a drawing for a Kindle Fire (and the new member is entered to win a Kindle). Be sure to check out our resources and program details/rules for our Member Get A Member campaign, going on now until October 1.

Why did you renew? What do you say to people unfamiliar with STLE? How would you convince them there's value in joining?

Friday, July 20, 2012

Brand New: Customized Content for the STLE Audience

We're working to create more customized content for you via technical newsletters. These newsletters will feature content all related to one topic (for instance, Metalworking Fluids), and will be put together by our technical committees. The articles included in each newsletter will be easily digestible and will be posted online quarterly (or on a regular schedule).

First Newsletter Release: MWFs
In this first release, which will be sent out Monday, July 23, the newsletter is focused on Metalworking and Metalworking Fluids. As we build up more content, there will be newsletters devoted to each technical committee, including bearings, gears, grease, and so on. See the full list of committees for more information. If you'd like to suggest a newsletter topic, just let us know.

This newsletter includes articles written by John Burke; Neil Canter; Alan Eachus; Alan Eckard, Vice President of Technology with Monroe Fluid Technology; Frederick Passman; and John Steigerwald, Vice President of Etna Products, Inc. The articles included are:
How to Access or Sign up for the Newsletter
Non-Members: If you're interested in receiving this newsletter, but you're not a member - all you have to do is sign up on our website for free. Visit our homepage, http://www.stle.org/, and click "Create An Account" on the left hand side of the screen. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and click to create a non-member account. If you think you might have an account, or the system says it recognizes you in the database or says there is a duplicate, please contact us to get your login information. You can contact us at (847) 825-5536 or at information@stle.org.

Members: If you're interested in receiving this newsletter and you're already a member, log on at http://www.stle.org/, and click "Update My Demographic Information" on the right hand side of your profile. There, under Interests, you'll find a list of topics and you can select what you're interested in (including Metalworking Fluids). You can mark more than one field. For example, if you're interested in Metalworking Fluids and Lubricant Fundamentals, just hold down the CTRL button to select multiple items. Once you mark your areas of interest, you will start to receive our quarterly emails about the newsletter as they are released. You can also forward this information to colleagues who might be interested in the content. The content is not just for members - it's for the entire STLE audience, so share and share alike!

Interested in contributing content?
If you're interested in contributing content, please contact Kara Sniegowski at klemar@stle.org. We are looking for articles that are 400-800 words (maximum 1,000 words), or about one page, that focus on a specific topic within different industries, including metalworking fluids (see the list of all technical committees to see what topics we're looking for). If you're interested in joining a technical committee, contact the Chair of that committee.
Once you receive the newsletter or check it out online, we want to know what you think! Post your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Interview with the Editor: Basic Handbook of Lubrication, 3rd Edition

Join us for this week's interview, where we talk with Evan Zabawski, Editor of TLT and the Alberta Section's publication: Basic Handbook of Lubrication. 
Basic Handbook of Lubrication, 3rd Ed.
 
Evan covers the intended audience for the book, unique qualities of the book compared to other similar publications, topics/sections in the book, and most importantly: how you might use the book in your daily work - either as a reference or to troubleshoot and solve a specific problem.
 
Bottom line: A great resource for daily issues or challenges on the shop floor AND as a reference for regular questions when you're implementing and maintaining a lube program. 

To listen to the interview, click the "play" button in the slider bar below, or click here to download the file (great for on-the-go info!). See the transcript/interview notes for timing and topics covered in the interview.



You might also be interested in: 
  • Book Review of the Basic Handbook of Lubrication, 3rd Edition
  • Fundamentals of Lubrication, STLE University Online Certificate Course, covering basic concepts of friction, lubrication and wear in 5 interactive self-contained modules
  • Basic Lubrication, STLE University Online Short Course, covering basic concepts of friction, lubrication and wear in 4 lecture-style modules
  • Lubricant Composition, STLE University Online Short Course, covering base oils, additives and greases in 5 lecture-style modules
Have you purchased the book? Tell us what you think in the comments below!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Benefits of Balanced Grease Formulations with Paul Grives, ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties


Paul Grives
In this interview, we talk to Paul Grives, Global Industrial Marketing Advisor at ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties. He has over 22 years of experience in the field of lubricants, primarily focused on greases.

Paul covers a variety of topics related to grease including:
  • Why you would use a grease over a lubricant
  • Function in an application
  • What goes into a typical formulation
  • How a formulation is balanced
  • NLGI grades
  • Typical grease applications (including high/low temperature and extreme environments)
  • Common problems like grease compatibility and over-greasing
To listen, click the "play" button in the slide bar below, or click here to download/save the file and play it back at your convenience. This is also a great way to take the information with you and learn on the go - download it to your iPod or other mp3 player, and you're all set for a trip. Be sure to save or print out the interview notes and transcript. You can use the transcript as a guide to skip ahead to the topics you want to listen to right away.



If you're interested in more information on greases and grease formulations, try the following resources:
What are your questions about grease? Are you experiencing any problems or challenges in lubricating your equipment with grease? Submit your questions in the comments section below, and we'll have our subject matter experts answer your questions!

Monday, July 2, 2012

July/August Webinars - Condition Monitoring Series & Additives

Join us this month for educational webinars taught by subject matter experts. These experts come from within the STLE audience, so they know exactly what information you need and want to know. General topics featured in the coming months are Condition Monitoring (events held July 18 & 8/23) and Additives (held on 8/29). Registration deadlines are the Monday before the event, so be sure to get in on time to ensure space and that you get all the event information you'll need.

Why attend an STLE University webinar?
Because STLE University is "Education Your Way: Focused, Flexible and Accessible."
  • Focused: topics are centered around those in the STLE audience - lubrication engineers and tribologists - providing practical education for all. Plus, we work to meet all levels - from the basics to more advanced topics, we have a wide variety of offerings for you.
  • Flexible: attend live or try one of our archived webinars or online courses - these can be done on your schedule to fit your needs and your calendar.
  • Accessible: both in terms of logging online and the cost to attend a webinar or online course - this is the most economical and trusted outlet of education in the industry.
JULY/AUGUST
July marks the start of the Condition Monitoring Data Interpretation Series. This series will be taught by Evan Zabawski, VP of Technical Services with CAN-AK, and Editor of TLT. The series includes 6 topics that center around Data Interpretation, however each event is a self-contained module, so you can choose to attend one, a couple or all 6 events (you get a discount if you register for all 6). Topics include:
  • Advanced Data Interpretation: This introductory module will discuss what types of alarm limits are used, how they are applied and how to derive better ones.  This will lead into discussions on how better alarm limits will enable deeper interpretation such as identifying patterns and trends, isolating bad actors and erroneous data.
  • Spectrographic Data Interpretation, Part I: Contaminants & Wear: The second module of this series will segment a typically used oil analysis report and focus on how to identify the correct causes and effects when reading the spectrographic data pertaining to contaminants and wear material.
  • Spectrographic Data Interpretation, Part II: Additive Metals: The third module of this series will continue along the lines of the previous module, but rather focusing on changes found in the additive elements measured by spectrometry.
  • Physical Properties Data Interpretation: The fourth module of this series will transition over to correct interpretation of the changes found in the physical and chemical properties of the oil, such as viscosity, FTIR (soot, oxidation, nitration and sulphation) and checks for fuel, water and glycol.
  • Additional Testing (FTIR, AN, BN and Particle Counts): The fifth module of this series will wrap up the individualized parameter review by discussing interpretation of results such as particle count, optical particle classification, acid number and base number.
  • Advanced Report Reading: The final module of this series will impart tips on quickly and effectively reading a standard oil analysis report and move into a review of generalized examples applicable to virtually any application.
We'll also be hosting the Basics of Lubricant Additives, taught by Chris Schmid, Lubrizol.

Overview: In this webinar, you will gain a basic understanding of lubricant additives including what additives are, why they are used, and the major types of additives used in today’s lubricants. Each additive will then be examined in depth as to how it works and why it is used, including the benefits of each additive type. This is a great webinar for the end user or someone just starting out.

If you have any quesitons, please contact Kara Sniegowski at (847) 825-5536 or at klemar@stle.org.

Do you have specific topics you'd like STLE to offer in a webinar or online course format? Tell us in the comments below and we'll work it into the upcoming schedule.