Executive Conference Focuses On Energy, Raw Materials
The 2008 Foundry Executive Conference will be held September 21-23 at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, Incline Village, Nev. This annual summit of industry leadership will feature presentations on:

• Slimming Down with Lean Manufacturing, Chip Long, World Class Consulting Group;
• U.S. Scrap & Alloy Markets: A Status Report for Metalcasters, Jason Redden, Omnisource Corp.;
• Going Green in Metalcasting, Jim Schifo, Keramida Environmental, Inc.

The special events at this conference include golf and tennis tournaments and a three-hour Lake Tahoe Cruise aboard the Tahoe Queen.

The housing cut off date for the Regency Hyatt Lake Tahoe is August 28. For more information, contact Lynn Smith, AFS manager of human resources and administrative services, at lsmith@afsinc.org. To view the conference brochure, click here.

OSHA Issues National Emphasis Program for Lead
In August, the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a directive that implements a revised National Emphasis Program (NEP) to reduce occupational exposures to lead. The new directive contains a list of industries to assist OSHA field offices in determining industries for targeting.

Under the NEP, OSHA will direct resources towards inspections of industries in which lead exposures occur. Subsequent to an initial inspection, follow-up site visits will be conducted in all establishments where exposures were measured at or above the permissible exposure limit (PEL) or above the action level where the employer has not taken preventive/corrective action (as required by the standard).

In addition, during both the initial and follow-up inspections, Compliance Officers will evaluate training, use of personal protective equipment, surface concentrations of lead and the availability of hygiene facilities, work practices and engineering controls.

The regional and area offices can delete any establishment from the list that has had an inspection where exposures to lead have been evaluated within the current year or previous three fiscal years.

For more information, contact Fred Kohloff, AFS director of environmental, health and safety, at 800/537-4237, or Stephanie Salmon, AFS Washington Office, at 202/842-4864. To view the entire directive in .pdf format, click here.

Conference Focuses on Air Issues, EPA Regulations
The Advanced Air Seminar will be held Sept. 22-23 at the Crown Plaza Airport Hotel, Atlanta, Ga. The objective of this seminar is to provide attendees with advanced practical knowledge, tools and techniques needed to address complex air issues in metalcasting facilities.

The seminar also will provide a basic knowledge and understanding of EPA air regulations, including basic concepts learned at the AFS Environmental 101 Seminar. Specifically, attendees will learn:

• identification of emission factors;
• performing air emission calculations;
• air permitting programs and their applicability;
• other regulatory requirements including MACT;
• obtaining and interpreting source testing results.

A discussion on upcoming climate change legislation also will be included at this event. The hotel cut off date for the Crown Plaza Airport Hotel is Sept. 3. For more information, or to register for this conference, contact AFS customer service at 800/537-4237. To view a conference brochure, click here.

Gating & Riser Design Internet Course Coming
CMI will be offering a Gating & Riser internet course Oct. 20-Nov. 24. This course will include information on fluid flow, gating design, heat transfer, solidification and riser design. Gating and riser sizing will be demonstrated using an excel spreadsheet which is included in the course materials. This course is applicable to both horizontally and vertically parted molds, and will cover methods for gating and risering cast iron, steel, aluminum, magnesium and copper-base alloys.  Special methods for ductile iron also are included.

For more information or to attend this course, contact AFS customer service at 800/537-4237, or click here to register.

CMI Offers Melting & Heat Treating of Castings Internet Course
CMI will be offering a Melt & Heat Treating of Castings internet course Oct. 21-Jan. 24. The intent of this online course, offered in conjunction with Mohawk College, is to give the student a broad understanding of the melting and heat treating techniques used in various ferrous and nonferrous castings.  The course will focus on discussing the major and minor alloying elements and heat treat options for aluminum, copper based, magnesium, steel and cast iron alloys.

For more information or to attend this course, contact AFS customer service at 800/537-4237, or click here to register.

Introduction to Metallurgy Internet Course Available
CMI will be offering an Introduction to Metallurgy course Oct. 21-Jan. 24. This course also will be offered in conjunction with Mohawk College, and will introduce the student to basic metallurgical topics including basic atomic structure, key metallic crystalline structures, effect of structure on mechanical properties, binary phase diagrams and heat treatment of common ferrous and aluminum alloys. Online laboratories will reinforce topics covered in the course.

For more information or to attend this course, contact AFS customer service at 800/537-4237, or click here to register.

Get Practical with Green Sand Control Course
CMI will be offering a Practical Green Sand Control course Oct. 22-23 at the Genetti Hotel & Suites, Williamsport. Pa. This course covers the basic components of a green sand system, mixing and mulling, sand compaction methods and controlling a green sand system. In addition, sand test results, what tests to run, testing frequency and casting defects are discussed. This course covers all ferrous and nonferrous alloys.

For more information or to attend this course, contact AFS customer service at 800/537-4237, or click here to register.