- Email: [email protected]
GFA expo takes place in March
NEWS In addition, it recommends the introduction of bleed air filtration for existing aircraft, the fitting of contaminated air detection systems to ensure immediate and objective warning of exposure, mandatory crew-member training to recognise and respond to fumes, and improved aircraft maintenance. Contact: Global Cabin Air Quality Executive, c/o The Independent Pilots Association (IPA), The Old Refectory, The Priory, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3LB, UK. Tel: +44 1444 441149, Email: [email protected], Web: www.gcaqe.org/media.html
Editor’s comment: The full Collegium Basilea press release ‘Inhalable Toxic Chemicals in Aircraft Cabin Air’ is available on the GCAQE Web-site at the address given above.
Conferences and Meetings News High-performance elastomers conference scheduled for April
R
eaders are reminded that iSmithers, part of Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd, is running its sixth high-performance elastomers conference, with a special focus on oilfeld applications, in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, on 17–18 April 2012. High Performance Elastomers and Polymers for Oil & Gas Applications 2012 is targeted at operators, contractors, equipment and component suppliers, material suppliers and research organisations involved with polymers and their use in the oil and gas industry. The titles of presentations relevant to the sealing industry include:
• Extrusion resistance of elastomers: a study of factors that affect performance: Peter Warren, Andrew Douglas and Stephen Winterbottom, James Walker & Co Ltd, UK; • Elastomers in CO: Daniel Hertz (III), Seals Eastern Inc, USA; • Fluid ageing and rapid gas decompression of HNBR elastomers: Dr Victor Nasreddine, Dr Kevin Kulbaba, Dr Andreas Bischoff and Christian Müller,
February 2012
Lanxess Ag, Germany, and Larry Chen, Dr David Gerrard and Jim Goodson, Baker Hughes, USA; • Low temperature perfluroelastomer development: John Kerwin, Precision Polymer Engineering Ltd, UK; • CVD tungsten carbide coating extends life of elastomeric seals and enables high temperature seal design: Dr Yuri Zhuk, Hardide Plc, UK; and • Life prediction of polymers for the oil and gas industry: Andrew Hulme and Jenny Cooper, Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd, UK. Contact: Helen Charlesworth, Conferences, Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire SY4 4NR, UK. Tel: +44 1939 250383, Fax: +44 1939 1118, Email: [email protected], Web: www.polymerconferences.com, Web: www.ismithers.net
GFA expo takes place in March
T
he Gasket Fabricators Association (GFA) is holding its Gasketing/ Converting Expo ’12 in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 20–22 March 2012. In addition to a table-top exhibition the event includes three main presentations. The first session, which will be held on Wednesday 21 March, will feature an interactive panel discussion covering different cutting methods. A second session, on the following day, will focus on how to ensure joint integrity through appropriate gasket selection and practical bolting methods. The information provided will include some of the basic elements needed to achieve “leak free” operation of large diameter, flanged joint connections. It will also focus on gasket stress issues, load and torque, and look at the technology behind bolted joint assemblies. The GFA says that in a final session, which is also scheduled for 22 March, John Spence – one of the USA’s top 100 business thinkers – will share his ideas, tools and techniques for creating a resilient and focused organisation, in a presentation entitled ‘Success is the New Normal’.
Contact: Gasket Fabricators Association, 994 Old Eagle School Road, Suite 1019, Wayne, PA 19087, USA. Tel: +1 610 971 4850. Email: [email protected], Web: www.gasketfab.com
IN BRIEF EnPro announces a change to its board of directors US-based EnPro Industries Inc has announced that Don DeFosset has retired from its board of directors and B. Bernard Burns (Jr) has been elected to take his place. Commenting on the change, Gordon Harnett, Chairman, EnPro Industries, said: ‘We are very grateful to Don for the service he has provided EnPro since he joined the board in 2008.’ Burns is a co-founder and managing director of McGuire Woods Capital Group, an advisory firm that provides acquisition-related services, and of Red Iron Partners Llc, a private investment group, both of which are located in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was previously employed by United Dominion Industries Inc, a $2-billion diversified manufacturing company, where he held a variety of senior corporate staff and operations roles. Lamons publishes new handbook Lamons Gasket Co has published the latest edition of its ‘Gasket Handbook’. Developed by the firm’s engineering department, the publication covers gasket selection – describing various gasket types and styles that Lamons manufactures. It includes detailed technical charts and other pertinent information on bolted flanged assembly, such as gasket installation, bolting practices and technical design. This new version combines four handbooks, which the firm provided previously, into a single comprehensive manual. More information: Web: www.lamons.com/literature.html Victrex PEEK grade is tough and ductile Victrex Polymer Solutions is introducing an improved polyetheretherketone (PEEK) grade called Victrex 650G. It has a higher ductility and improved toughness compared with standard polymers, says the company. These properties are often needed especially by thick-walled components such as valve seats, gears and other applications that are exposed to severe shock stress. More information: www.victrex.com Quadrant expands its Scranton facility Quadrant EPP USA Inc has expanded it production facility in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA. It primarily manufactures various grades of polyolefin materials that are used in diverse applications, including medical equipment, food-processing and packaging machinery, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. ‘This 75 000-ft (7000-m) addition to our operation comes right on the heels of the recent expansion of our distribution centre – which was similar in scope,’ commented Stephen Uliana, who is the operations and site manager at Scranton.
Sealing Technology
7
Editor’s comment: The full Collegium Basilea press release ‘Inhalable Toxic Chemicals in Aircraft Cabin Air’ is available on the GCAQE Web-site at the address given above.
Conferences and Meetings News High-performance elastomers conference scheduled for April
R
eaders are reminded that iSmithers, part of Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd, is running its sixth high-performance elastomers conference, with a special focus on oilfeld applications, in Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, on 17–18 April 2012. High Performance Elastomers and Polymers for Oil & Gas Applications 2012 is targeted at operators, contractors, equipment and component suppliers, material suppliers and research organisations involved with polymers and their use in the oil and gas industry. The titles of presentations relevant to the sealing industry include:
• Extrusion resistance of elastomers: a study of factors that affect performance: Peter Warren, Andrew Douglas and Stephen Winterbottom, James Walker & Co Ltd, UK; • Elastomers in CO: Daniel Hertz (III), Seals Eastern Inc, USA; • Fluid ageing and rapid gas decompression of HNBR elastomers: Dr Victor Nasreddine, Dr Kevin Kulbaba, Dr Andreas Bischoff and Christian Müller,
February 2012
Lanxess Ag, Germany, and Larry Chen, Dr David Gerrard and Jim Goodson, Baker Hughes, USA; • Low temperature perfluroelastomer development: John Kerwin, Precision Polymer Engineering Ltd, UK; • CVD tungsten carbide coating extends life of elastomeric seals and enables high temperature seal design: Dr Yuri Zhuk, Hardide Plc, UK; and • Life prediction of polymers for the oil and gas industry: Andrew Hulme and Jenny Cooper, Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd, UK. Contact: Helen Charlesworth, Conferences, Smithers Rapra Technology Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire SY4 4NR, UK. Tel: +44 1939 250383, Fax: +44 1939 1118, Email: [email protected], Web: www.polymerconferences.com, Web: www.ismithers.net
GFA expo takes place in March
T
he Gasket Fabricators Association (GFA) is holding its Gasketing/ Converting Expo ’12 in Orlando, Florida, USA, on 20–22 March 2012. In addition to a table-top exhibition the event includes three main presentations. The first session, which will be held on Wednesday 21 March, will feature an interactive panel discussion covering different cutting methods. A second session, on the following day, will focus on how to ensure joint integrity through appropriate gasket selection and practical bolting methods. The information provided will include some of the basic elements needed to achieve “leak free” operation of large diameter, flanged joint connections. It will also focus on gasket stress issues, load and torque, and look at the technology behind bolted joint assemblies. The GFA says that in a final session, which is also scheduled for 22 March, John Spence – one of the USA’s top 100 business thinkers – will share his ideas, tools and techniques for creating a resilient and focused organisation, in a presentation entitled ‘Success is the New Normal’.
Contact: Gasket Fabricators Association, 994 Old Eagle School Road, Suite 1019, Wayne, PA 19087, USA. Tel: +1 610 971 4850. Email: [email protected], Web: www.gasketfab.com
IN BRIEF EnPro announces a change to its board of directors US-based EnPro Industries Inc has announced that Don DeFosset has retired from its board of directors and B. Bernard Burns (Jr) has been elected to take his place. Commenting on the change, Gordon Harnett, Chairman, EnPro Industries, said: ‘We are very grateful to Don for the service he has provided EnPro since he joined the board in 2008.’ Burns is a co-founder and managing director of McGuire Woods Capital Group, an advisory firm that provides acquisition-related services, and of Red Iron Partners Llc, a private investment group, both of which are located in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was previously employed by United Dominion Industries Inc, a $2-billion diversified manufacturing company, where he held a variety of senior corporate staff and operations roles. Lamons publishes new handbook Lamons Gasket Co has published the latest edition of its ‘Gasket Handbook’. Developed by the firm’s engineering department, the publication covers gasket selection – describing various gasket types and styles that Lamons manufactures. It includes detailed technical charts and other pertinent information on bolted flanged assembly, such as gasket installation, bolting practices and technical design. This new version combines four handbooks, which the firm provided previously, into a single comprehensive manual. More information: Web: www.lamons.com/literature.html Victrex PEEK grade is tough and ductile Victrex Polymer Solutions is introducing an improved polyetheretherketone (PEEK) grade called Victrex 650G. It has a higher ductility and improved toughness compared with standard polymers, says the company. These properties are often needed especially by thick-walled components such as valve seats, gears and other applications that are exposed to severe shock stress. More information: www.victrex.com Quadrant expands its Scranton facility Quadrant EPP USA Inc has expanded it production facility in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA. It primarily manufactures various grades of polyolefin materials that are used in diverse applications, including medical equipment, food-processing and packaging machinery, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. ‘This 75 000-ft (7000-m) addition to our operation comes right on the heels of the recent expansion of our distribution centre – which was similar in scope,’ commented Stephen Uliana, who is the operations and site manager at Scranton.
Sealing Technology
7