Welcome to e-Connections, the weekly AFS email newsletter. In this May 5, 2009, edition:

Advance Your Career With Six Month Individual Membership
Now is the time to take advantage of the many membership benefits AFS has to offer, including the AFS Career Center, discounts on Cast Metals Institute courses and upcoming conferences, and access to information through the AFS Library and various AFS publications.Through June 30, any North American metalcaster can join AFS for six months for just $50.

This offer is only for the personal membership level and is not intended to reduce the cost of AFS membership long-term. The intention of the promotion is to allow those considering an AFS membership a means to take advantage of its membership benefits inexpensively in the short-term. Test drive an AFS membership today and let AFS take you around the next corner in your career.

To join, visit www.afsinc.org/sixmonthmembership, or contact Leo Baran, AFS membership director, at 800/537-4237 x 207 or lbaran@afsinc.org.

OSHA Issues New Guidance Document for Selecting Respirators
In April, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a new guidance document, Assigned Protection Factors (APF), which provides employers with vital information for selecting respirators for employees exposed to contaminants in the air. OSHA revised its existing respiratory protection standard in 2006 to add APFs and Maximum Use Concentration (MUC) provisions.

APFs indicate the level of respiratory protection a respirator or class of respirators is able to provide to workers. The higher the APF (5 to 10,000), the greater the level of protection provided to the user. The MUC represents the limit at which the class of respirator is expected to provide protection. Whenever a hazard’s exposure level exceeds the MUC, employers should select a respirator with a higher APF.

The APF and MUC are mandatory respirator selection requirements that can only be used after respirators are properly selected and are used in compliance with the entire standard. The respiratory protection standard requires fit testing, medical evaluations, specific training and proper respirator use. To read the new OSHA document, click here.

For more information, contact Stephanie Salmon, AFS Washington Office, at 202/842-4864 or ssalmon@afsinc.org.

Learn to Control Energy Costs with Upcoming Webinars
Energy costs have significantly increased in recent years, and a close look into the future reveals market forces and government policies that can lead to an explosion of energy costs. The profitability of the individual metalcasting facility is at risk, and there is danger if managers don’t act now to begin to control this risk. To help assure future profits, every metalcasting facility should pay close attention to what is happening in energy markets and immediately begin to measure, monitor and reduce energy consumption.

In an effort to keep the metalcasting industry abreast of the latest developments and savings opportunities relating to energy, AFS is producing an energy webinar series.These web-based seminars will provide practical, shop-floor advice and metalcasting case studies to demonstrate cost reductions from an energy standpoint.

With the exception of Module 1, which will be free, each session will be available for purchase as single or a group of modules, and will include:

  • Tuesday, May 12, 11:00 a.m EST - Getting Started: Understanding the Issues (Module 1)
  • Thursday, May 14, 11:00 a.m. EST - Utilities (Module 2)
  • Tuesday, May 19, 11:00 a.m. EST - Controlling Melting Costs: Ferrous Alloys (Module 3)
  • Thursday May 21, 11:00 a.m. EST - Controlling Melting Costs: Non-Ferrous Alloys (Module 4)
  • Tuesday, May 26, 11:00 a.m. EST - Managing Compressed Air Systems (Module 5)
  • Thursday, May 28, 11:00 a.m. EST - Plant Environment and Equipment (Module 6)
  • Thursday, June 4, 11:00 a.m. EST - Implementation Plans: Energy Assessments and Best Practices (Module 7)

Modules 2-7 will be available individually or as a package. Single modules are $99, two modules are $175, 3 modules are $250 and the entire package is $350.

For more detailed information on these modules, visit the AFS Energy Savings Webinar Series website by clicking here. To register, contact Becky Erickson, AFS technical assistant, at 800/537-4237 x 246 or rebecca@afsinc.org.

Casting of the Year Clip Added to Audio Library
Visit www.moderncasting.com to hear an audio clip with one of the designers of the 2009 Casting of the Year. In the clip, Polaris Motorcycles director of industrial design Greg Brew discusses the role of the casting, an aluminum frame component, in the Polaris Victory Core concept motorcycle.

The sound bite is the latest addition to MODERN CASTING’s growing library of online audiocasts, which includes conversations with metalcasters, suppliers, consultants and designers. The website staff has added one new audiocast per month since March 2008, and today, there’s a little something for everyone. Head over to www.moderncasting.com and have a listen.

CMI Offers Cupola Melting for Engineers Course
CMI will be offering a Cupola Melting for Engineers course May 13-15 at AFS Headquarters, Schaumburg, Ill. The course emphasizes the engineering factors involved in cupola operation. It covers subjects starting with a history of stack type melting units to the most modern computer operated cupolas, including cokeless cupolas. A comprehensive examination of the cupola's advantages and disadvantages will be presented. 

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

Looking for more information on cupola melting? The Iron Castings Engineering Handbook can help. AFS Special Publications has everything you need to supplement your metalcasting training.