AM Tech Session Update: MWF Hot Topic Panel Discussion

Metalworking Fluids "Hot Topic's" Panel Discussion REVISED Agenda
Based on the highly successful "Hot Topics" in metalworking fluids class, that was presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting, it was decided to give an update this year via a panel discussion in the Metalworking Fluids II Session on Monday afternoon (May 7), beginning at 1:30p.m.

Some recent government activity has caused us to modify the original agenda. In March 2012, OSHA revised the Hazard Communication Standard to align it with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. It must be fully implemented by 2016, and imposes new hazard definitions for safety data sheets (SDSs) and labels and pictograms to be used on labels and in the workplace.

Based on the implications of this new rule for all chemical manufacturers, including metalworking fluids, the "Hot Topics" panel discussion agenda has been revised to devote time to this very important and timely topic. The first hour will be devoted to providing information on how this new GHS rule impacts fluid manufacturers, including ingredient classifications and requirements for exact percentage disclosure of hazardous ingredients. That will be followed by updates on biocides (including the current situation with formaldehyde) and chlorinated paraffins along with a review of the SCAQMD's Rule 1144 in California. Time will be allowed at the end for discussion. Plan to attend to get updated on the industry, ask questions of industry experts, and take part in the discussion.

AM Education Course Feature: Condition Monitoring 301

STLE asked the course instructors and chair to provide some detail on the course, and you can read on to get a preview of the course itself. You can register for the meeting and the course, or get some more information on our Annual Meeting page.

First, can you give us an overview of the field and how this course got started?
“Condition Monitoring” is a relatively new term, perhaps 20-25 years old. I founded this course on the observation that CM was going to be a very important concept as equipment and lubricants continued to get more sophisticated. It was also the first practically-oriented STLE course that dealt with in-service lubricants.


How does this course differ from last year or previous courses offered on CM?
This course is significantly more advanced and is targeted to persons who already have experience in oil analysis and CM. Basics are mentioned in passing but the objective is to provide a more technical program.

Are there are any prerequisites for attending this course?

Attendees should have a good basic understanding of oil analysis and the CM concept, generally: the notion of preventive action triggered by CM data, evaluated by knowledgeable people.

What can one expect to learn and be able to bring back to their workplace?

Whether data evaluation and rendering opinions is the goal of the attendee, an appreciation of what an oil analysis or other CM report provides should be gained. If the attendee is a manager of those involved in data evaluation and opinion rendering, then he/she will have a good appreciation of the process so as to facilitate the team in accomplishing CM goals. The theme of this course is "21st Century Condition Monitoring," and this is the crux of what our team is presenting: cutting edge approaches to this valuable, necessary concept.

The short answer is that CM, properly done by competent people in a competent system, saves or earns money by early detection of potential problems and/or increasing component availability, respectively.

Meet the instructors, and see what they're teaching:

Evan Zabawski: Advanced Data Interpretation
A successful condition monitoring program requires the right data coupled with the right interpretation. Obtaining the right data can be relatively simple, but getting a decent interpretation often relies on setting appropriate alarm limits or properly identifying abnormal trends. Leveraging historical data from the same asset and other similar assets is ideal, but the execution often produces sub-par results. This presentation will critique a variety of techniques used for both setting alarm limits and trending data, and then offer a model which uses an amalgamation of the best concepts. Examples will be used to illustrate key concepts. This presentation is aimed at any individual involved in the interpretation of data or decision-making resulting from condition monitoring data (e.g. Reliability Engineers, Maintenance Planners, etc.)

Chad Chichester: Condition Monitoring (CM) Techniques Complementary to Oil Analysis

Many companies elect to employ a multitude of condition monitoring techniques. The nature of failure analysis and prediction is becoming more complex and each technique offers insight to root causation of failures, and impending failures intended to be mitigated. Isolating techniques to confines of their own data, interpretation, and topical experts may prevent reliability and maintenance practitioners from realizing the full potential of using multiple techniques. Integration of data and information from multiple techniques can improve asset owners’ ability to succinctly identify root cause and/or impending failures. This module will focus on CM techniques like, vibration analysis, infrared thermography, and acoustic emissions and how such methods can be aggregated and synergistically complementary to oil analysis.

Allison Toms: Impact of Machinery Configuration and Operations on Monitoring Techniques and Data

Over the past decade, changes in machinery configuration and operational demands have had a profound impact on oil analysis condition monitoring. Machinery and lubricant OEMs and government research have invested in improvements in both the design and materials used in manufacturing and production as well as in lubricant formulation. Many of these improvements have not been adequately reflected in current testing practices. Testing equipment and methodologies have also improved and new monitoring tools have been introduced to address new problems. This presentation will touch on some of the changes to oil analysis over the past decade such as lubricants and additives; component design, configuration and alloy compositions; improved and new testing equipment, technology, techniques; operational and environmental factors; and customer desires. The presentation will include on-line sensors and at-line applications to meet some of these changes as well as the means to achieve improved machinery condition indicators and estimates on remaining useful life through integration of monitoring techniques. Examples and case histories will be presented.

Jack Poley (also Course Chair): Condition Monitoring International and Kittiwake Developments - Changing Paradigms in CM: Online Oil Analysis, Extended Particle Analysis, Software and More

Oil Analysis has changed rather radically in the last decade. The advent of dependable, effective online sensors for metallic wear debris is probably the most obvious such change, leading to a ‘3-tiered’ system of oil analysis: Online, Onsite, Offsite, each having its own advantages. Practitioners can employ one or all avenues. Particulate analysis, especially those near the visible range, is increasingly more advanced. Computerization has provided us with the ability to set limits and plot trends, but nowadays that’s not news. The use of Intelligent Agents in resolving increasingly complex data sets that can include streaming data from online metallic debris or vibration sensors makes it possible, given strong domain expertise, to auto-generate very sophisticated and accurate opinions AND get them to the right stakeholder for timely intervention as may be needed via selective report recipients,. The notion of humans poring over data one sample after the next is on its way out. Information needs to be specific, relevant , consistent and tidy, delivered quickly and effectively to the right parties.

#STLE2012 Tips for First Timers

#STLE2012 kicks off in about six weeks, and I wanted to share some tips for first-time attendees.

• Go with a purpose. Whether you want to meet new people and network, find a solution to a problem encountered at work, or glean best practices from your colleagues, have a goal in mind and try to achieve it every day.


• Have a schedule, but be flexible. Draft a game plan for the week on the drive or plane ride, using the preliminary program guide as a reference. If you're traveling with a group or have a group of similarly minded individuals, divide up your time accordingly so you can see the most and share/compare notes after the session or when you get back to the office. If you find a given session isn't what you thought it'd be, make sure to have a second option. Don't be afraid to "vote with your feet." We know you want to get something out of every session - that's what we want too! Finally, don't overschedule yourself. It's easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of technical sessions (over 350!) and other events, but realize that you won't be able to attend everything you want.


• Introduce yourself to as many people as possible. Don't just stick with your co-workers (they can be your crutch to avoid meeting new people or trying new things). You'll get more out of the conference if you branch out and talk to someone else who has the same job or research interests as you do. And if you're coming to the meeting on your own, don't be afraid to approach people: (a) there are other people like you there (other first-timers), just find them and you can join forces, (b) everyone is friendly and will be open and accepting, and (c) you will find people who share your interests just by attending technical sessions - after all, you're both there because you have the same interests, so all you have to do is strike up a conversation.


• Step outside of your box: sit at a table of people you don't know at the President's lunch, introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you at a technical session, tag along with a group you've just met to different events, and reach out. The more you try, the more likely you are to make some contacts and get the most out of the AM. You should also try attending a session outside of your research interests or job function. Getting a broad knowledge of the industry may lead to an innovation or idea you wouldn't have had otherwise, or a connection that may lead to a job or new colleague.


• Contribute to the discussion for #STLE2012. If you're in an interesting session, let other's know about it.


• Follow the back channel (#STLE2012) - it will help you keep up on what's going on, both the published stuff and the unpublished/spontaneous stuff.


• Come to the YP/Student Networking event on Tuesday night May 8, 7:30 p.m. at the Flamingo Bowl. Come for some hors d'oeuvres, drinks and networking with young professionals, as well as key STLE members, so you can make some great career connections. Details will be on the AM webpage and will be included in AM emails, but make sure you RSVP so we have enough food to go around.


• If you're participating in the student poster competition, be sure to visit the website (scroll down to the student/YP section) for updates, and keep an eye out for the email with instructions you'll need to get your bearings for the day. If you haven't gotten instructions yet, let us know.


• Also, as a take-away, remember that we will have a CD of proceedings available for free to all meeting attendees. The CD includes a listing of the papers we received by the publication date, so not all papers may be listed in the CD, and others will have an extended abstract. It's something to take with you and share with colleagues after the event.


• Visit the exhibit floor. Here, you can meet potential employers if you're starting your job search, or you can make contacts to help you with your job, find solutions to common problems, and find out about the newest products on the market. Click here to see a list of exhibitors, so you can plan out your attack plan for the exhibit floor.


• Bring a ton of business cards - you will go through them, either on the exhibit floor, or just through the new contacts you make. If you don't have business cards, have something you can hand out with your contact information. Websites like VistaPrint have an option where you can get 250 cards for $10.


• Come to the Membership Booth and we will point you in the direction of someone you can network or talk shop with, or we will be able to point you in the direction of members who can provide introductions to specific technical groups and/or key contacts. Staff and volunteers will be staffing the booth, so you can meet us and pick our brains, or even offer up ideas on membership and offerings. Also, we'll have some great give-aways as an extra incentive to come see us! We get lonely, so be sure to come say hi.


• Get some rest - you'll need it, with a week jam-packed with events!


• Bring snacks. Just in case your stomach decides to rumble in the middle of a session and lunch is hours away.


• Plan out the social side of things (and how to get there). See what you can do while you're in St. Louis with some of these great links: Explore Neighborhoods (we'll be in Downtown, but you can go beyond, especially if you're driving to STL); 25 Things to Do; Day Trips/Excursions; sample Itineraries, and How to Get Around STL. Listen to this podcast (coming soon) with Karl Phipps, STLE staffer and STL native.


• Remember to have fun - this is a great opportunity for you to meet with like-minded individuals, probably the only time throughout the year you are in the same room with so many folks in tribology and lubrication engineering (around 1,100)!

Some other resources, if you're interested, include Bob Gresham's webinar presentation on getting the most out of your attendance at #STLE2012 (click here to register), and the TLT articles: A Business Case for Attending the AM and Tribology's Big Show. You can also read the interviews we conducted with two STLE members for their perspective on attending the meeting for the first time: Rachel Colbert, student member, and David Burris, young professional and Chair of the Young Tribologists Committee. Finally, keep an eye out for the post on things to do in St. Louis. It includes some tips from STLE Staffer Karl Phipps - he'll be able to give you the best tips since he grew up there!

Tribochemistry and Nanoscale Surface Interactions in Nanotribology with David Huitink

In this episode, we discuss the interesting and growing field of nanotribology from a PhD student's perspective. David Huitink attends Texas A&M and is active in STLE. Most recently, he founded the Texas A&M University Chapter of STLE and served as its President in 2010. Listen as David discusses his work: using nanoscale contact to study friction and tribochemical reactions. This involves studying the chemical and interfacial reactions taking place at the nanoscale as a result of friction and contact forces.

To experience the interview, click the play button in the slider bar above, download the episode here, and read or translate the text version of the interview here.

Visit our website for more information about nanotribology. For more on David, you can read his winning Student Poster Abstract that was submitted at the 2010 STLE Annual Meeting and later published in TLT. You can also visit the Liang research group website by clicking here.

Biobased Lubricants with Dr. Joseph Perez

In the second installment of our interview with Dr. Joseph Perez, we discuss bio-based lubricants. Bio-based lubricants are defined as lubricants that are formulated with renewable and biodegradable base stocks. Dr. Perez covers the advantages, potential detractors, the competition with petroleum-based products, and the challenges faced when researching and working with bio-based lubricants.

This podcast is part of a series designed to give you more information about a given topic while also providing information about our upcoming education courses offered at the 2011 STLE Annual Meeting. You can listen to expert interviews and preview education courses at the same time. To listen to this episode, click the "play" button on the slider bar above, download this week's episode, or read the transcript. You can get more information on bio-based lubricants, explore more about the Annual Meeting and see what other courses are offered on our website.

You can read more about the topic by checking out the following articles: Eco-Friendly Fluids for the Lubricants Industry, Biobased Lubricants: Gearing up for a Green World, Everything Old is New Again, and Planting Hope. These are all articles that can be found in previous issues of TLT, Tribology & Lubrication Technology, STLE's monthly member magazine. Click here to view the digital version of this month's issue, or click here to get your own subscription.

Biobased Fuels with Dr. Joseph Perez

This podcast marks the beginning of a series that is designed to shed some light on the 2011 Annual Meeting and the education courses offered. In this series, we talk to course instructors and get a feel for the topics covered in their courses.

Get your personal preview now by downloading the first episode. To listen, simply click the "play" button on the slider bar above, download the file to your computer, or read the transcript.

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Joseph Perez, Senior Research Scientist at Penn State. Dr. Perez is the Chair of the Biofuels and Biolubricants course at the 2011 Annual Meeting. This podcast will look at bio-based fuels, with the second episode on bio-based lubricants to be released at the end of this month.

Biofuels are defined as a wide range of fuels that serve as alternatives to petroleum fuels. They are in some way derived from biomass. The term biofuel covers a wide variety of projects involving the conversion of natural resources to fuels.

Dr. Perez works with biofuels on a daily basis. He leads an initiative at Penn State to make the university "green." The program, conducted by Dr. Perez and the Chemical Engineering Department's Tribology Group, involves overseeing and studying the use of biobased lubricants and biofuels in the university's farm equipment, elevators and campus vehicles. He is also currently involved in a range of biofuel studies that look at improving low temperature characteristics and oxidation stability of biodiesel. Dr. Perez will be teaching a part of the course, and will be accompanied by other individuals who work or conduct research in this field. You can get more information on biofuels, the 2011 Annual Meeting, and the AM education course line up by visiting our website.