News

New Members as of May 2009:

• Southwest Turbine Inc.
• Triplex Systems Inc.

A call for papers has been issued for the Investment Casting Institute's 56th Technical Conference and Expo Oct. 11-14 at the Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, Indianapolis, IN. Abstracts from foundries, suppliers and universities should center on new techniques, best practices, new processing ideas, new testing methods and new ways of doing things. Submit abstracts to Investment Casting Institute, 136 Summit Ave., Montvale, NJ 07645; email ici@investmentcasting.org.

The deadline for entering the Investment Casting Institute's 2009 Casting Contest is July 15. The contest is being conducted in conjunction with the 56th Technical Conference and Expo in Indianapolis this October 11-14. Ideal entries are components and applications which showcase the investment casting process or solve customer problems. The purpose of the contest is to promote the investment casting process and recognize innovation and leadership in the industry. Case studies generated from the contest published in INCAST, distributed to various metals and design publications, and promoted at shows and events where the Institute has contact with end users and buyers of castings. A contest entry form is on this web site. Three winners are expected to be named from all the entries.

A limited number of seats are available for the Investment Casting Institute's Certification Training Course slated May 27-June 4 at Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, KS. The event, open to employees of North American members of the Institute, provides a week of intensive training including classroom and laboratory work. Classes are structured to benefit attendees from a wide range of educational backgrounds. Major areas of concentration include wax/patternmaking; slurry and shell; gating and feeding; tooling and casting design; dewax, melting and metallurgy; heat treating; casting finishing; and process control and automation. For information, contact the Institute at 201-573-9770, fax 201-573-9771; email ici@investmentcasting.org. Registration is also available from this web site.

The Investment Casting Institute has instituted a new undergraduate intern/scholarship program which involves Institute member companies in encouraging college students to find careers in the investment casting industry. The Board of Directors approved funding for up to four $2,500 scholarships this year.

In order to qualify for the scholarship, the student must be employed as an intern at a North American Institute member company (either caster or supplier). The objective is to encourage students to stay in the industry after graduation.

The program begins with internships this summer. The first scholarships are expected to be awarded at the Institute's technical conference in October. The company-sponsored internship must be a meaningful work experience at a competitive wage within the student's major. It must have stated objectives and outcome for the students, and must be 10-14 consecutive week's duration.

In addition to participating in the internship, qualified students must be juniors or seniors majoring in engineering & technology, business & personnel, or environment & safety. They must maintain a grade point average of 2.75 or above on a 4.0 scale. Each applicant will be required to write a 500-word career objective statement. The Education Committee will make the selection from the applications and the career objective statement.

Member companies or students interested in the internship program may get information by contacting the Institute office at 201-573-9770 e-mail ici@investmentcasting.org.

A project designed to compile a history of the North American investment casting industry based on interviews of early industry leaders is currently underway. The effort is sponsored by the Investment Casting Institute.

Managing the interviews will be Tim Kinney, owner of Poplogix, a consulting firm specializing in marketing services, strategic planning, and project management.

Kinney indicated the project will focus on business, market, and technology developments. Interviews will be captured digitally so they can be used for future purposes as well as serve as a historical touchstone for members. Interviews are expected to be conducted in the spring of 2009.

A new alumni membership category in the Investment Casting Institute is currently available to retired persons who wish to remain active in the Institute.

Institute Executive Director Michael Perry noted the new membership category serves a dual purpose. "As a part of the Institute's strategic review process, we learned from member companies that key employees often want to stay connected after retirement, and this addresses that need," he said. "In addition, it allows the Institute the benefit of very experienced people who have valuable input which can extend beyond retirement."

To be eligible for alumni membership in the Institute, the applicant must be a retired person who wishes to maintain an active role within the Institute, and was once employed by a company eligible for regular or affiliate membership. Eligibility is determined by the Board of Directors on a case-by-case basis at the board's discretion. In determining an applicant's eligibility for alumni membership, the board may consider, among other things, the applicant's past participation in the investment casting industry, and his or her proposed, prospective role in the Institute.

While alumni members may not vote or hold office, they are eligible to receive INCAST Magazine; attend technical and management meetings at discounted member prices; and participate on Institute committees. Current annual membership dues for alumni members is $75.