KC ASME Officers (2011-2012)
2011 Fukushima Plant Accident
Monday, May 7th, 2012
The 2011 Fukushima accident in Japan resulted from a major earthquake followed by a large 46 foot tsunami causing major damage to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant site, leading to the failure of emergency core cooling water systems, destroying four of the six reactors. This program will discuss the reasons for the failure of the reactor protection and emergency core cooling water systems and structures as well as the impacts that resulted including radioactivity releases and major evacuation of the surrounding population. An accident timeline as well as the site recovery activities will be discussed including potential impacts to the U.S. nuclear plants. A brief look at the newer passive designs by GE-Hitachi and Westinghouse that do not require active emergency cooling water systems similar to the Fukushima reactors will also be discussed. If you would like to attend this event, reply to this email or send an RSVP to DCMiller@asme.org.When: Monday, May 7th
5:30 - 6:15 Social
6:15 - 8:00 Dinner and Presentation
Where: DoubleTree by Hilton
10100 College Boulevard
Overland Park, KS
Cost: $20.00 each for Members and Guests
$10.00 each for Students
Dr. Larry Drbal retired from Black & Veatch in June 2011. Dr. Drbal was an Associate Vice President and Nuclear Chief Engineer at the time of his retirement. Recent projects that Larry worked on while at Black & Veatch included the Ft. St. Vrain Repowering Project, the ABWR First-of-A-Kind (FOAKE) Project, the Lungmen Nuclear Power Plant Project in Taiwan and Entergy's River Bend Unit 3 Combined Operating License Application (COLA) Project. Dr. Drbal is currently an Adjunct Professor and Executive Engineer for the Civil and Mechanical Engineering Department at UMKC. Dr. Drbal has a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Nebraska and MS and Ph.D. degrees in Nuclear Engineering from Kansas State University.
Tour: SPX R&D Center
Monday, Tuesday 17th, 2012
Please join us for the ASME April event: a tour of the SPX Research and Development Center in Kansas City, MO. The SPX R&D Center serves as the global R&D center for the creation of process cooling equipment and components. After the tour, please join us for dinner at BB's Lawnside Blues & BBQ.SPX has requested that we limit the tour to 30 persons. Due to the potentially sensitive nature of the tour, SPX requests that competitors or representatives for competitors of the SPX thermal segment please do not attend. If you would like to attend the tour, please indicate indicate your company affiliation with your RSVP to DCMiller@asme.org.
What: Tour of the SPX Research & Development Center
When: Tuesday, 17-April, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Where:
Tour: SPX R&D Center, 6100 East 63rd Street, Kansas City, MO
Dinner: BB's, 1205 E. 85th Street, KCMO
Cost:
Tour - None
Dinner - Individual responsible
The SPX R&D Center is housed in a three acre underground tract that was once a limestone mine. During the tour you will see a broad spectrum of testing and development capabilities including modeling, component and process development, materials evaluation, along with thermal and air flow testing. For additional information regarding the SPX R&D Center, please refer to the link below. http://spxcooling.com/en/profiles/research-and-development-center/
B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ is Where BBQ Meets the Blues in Kansas City. For 20 years, B.B.'s has served slow-smoked meats (sausage, beef, chicken, pulled pork and ribs) from its 60+ year-old pit, Plus, B.B.'s menu includes signature Louisiana dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, red beans & rice and goulash. And, when you combine that with world-class blues entertainment, you get a unique Kansas City experience only found at B.B.'s Lawnside BBQ.
Tour: Haldex
Monday, March 26th
Join us for the ASME March event: a tour of the Haldex manufacturing facility in Blue Springs, MO. Haldex is a major player in the heavy truck industry manufacturing all manner of brake components from Anti-Lock Braking Systems to Air Dryers to Pads. At this facility we will see some of these components go from raw forgings to complete assemblies.Following the tour we will dine at the Trouser Mouse Blues Club. If you would like to attend this event please RSVP by replying to this e-mail or sending a note to miller.duane13@gmail.com. In your RSVP, please indicate if you plan to join us for dinner to allow notification to the restaurant. As always for plant tours, please wear closed toe shoes. All other Personnel Protection Equipment (PPE) will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there!
What: Tour of Haldex Brake Systems
When: March 26th, 5:30 PM
Where: 2400 NE Coronado Dr., Blue Springs, MO 64029
Cost: Tour None; dinner on your own
After Tour Eats: Trouser Mouse, 625 Mock Ave., Blue Springs, MO 64015 (behind the Applebee's at I-70 and 7 Hwy.)
Directions: Take I-70 East to exit 21 for NE Adams Dairy Pkwy. Turn right (South) onto Adams Dairy and immediately turn left at the first light onto Coronado (there will be a Home Depot to your right). Go approximately 1 mile and Haldex will be on the right side of the road at the top of the hill.
Tour: Lafarge Cement Plant
Tuesday, January 24th
Get out of the office early, recover from the holiday blahs, join the search for Jimmy H***a, or just learn something new. Please join us for a tour of the Lafarge Cement Plant in Sugar Creek, MO. After the tour, please continue the outing with dinner and a social gathering of fellow ASME members and guests. Please note the tour starting time. If you would like to attend this event, reply to this e-mail or send an RSVP to dcmiller@asme.org.When: Tuesday, January 24th
Tour @ 3:30 pm
Dinner @ 5:00 (until around 6:30)
Tour @ Lafarge Sugar Creek Cement Plant, 2200 North Courtney Road, Sugar Creek, MO 64050
Dinner @ Rheinland, 208 North Main Street, Independence, MO
Cost: Tour is free, dinner will probably be at your own cost, details to follow Jan 16
The Lafarge Group is the world leader in building materials, with top-ranking positions in all of its businesses: Cement, Aggregates & Concrete and Gypsum. With 78,000 employees in 78 countries, the Group posted sales of 15.9 billion Euros in 2009. Lafarge North America Inc. ("Lafarge North America" or "Lafarge"), a Lafarge Group company, is the largest diversified supplier of construction materials in the United States and Canada.
In 2010 and for the sixth year in a row, the Lafarge Group was listed in the "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World". With the world's leading building materials research facility, the Lafarge Group places innovation at the heart of its priorities, working for sustainable construction and architectural creativity. Lafarge's Sugar Creek Cement Plant II in Sugar Creek, Mo. produces roughly one million tons of cement per year. The plant serves the Lafarge River Region, reaching from Red Rocks, Minn. in the north to Springfield, Mo. in the south.
Rheinland Restaurant is a authentic German offering a full German food and beer selection. Alcoholic beverages are in addition to the cost of the meal.
Directions from Lafarge tour to dinner at Rheinland.
Put Some Light into Your Life
Monday, December 5, 2011
Please join us for dinner and a tour of the LightWild and Lusio Solid-State Lighting facilities in Overland Park, Kansas. Both white lighting (general illumination) and color changing RGB products will be presented. Please visit their website at www.lightwild.com for more information regarding LightWild.
If you would like to attend this event send your RSVP to dcmiller@asme.org. A printable invitation is available.
When: December 5th, 5:30pm - 8:00 pm
Where: LightWild, 7325 W. 161st Street, Overland Park, KS
Cost: $20.00 per member or guest, $10.00 per student (price includes catered buffet dinner from Oklahoma Joe's BBQ)
Directions: Take Metcalf to 161st Street and go west. LightWild is located on the south side of 161st Street. Parking is available in the lot in front of their building
LightWild is an engineering-driven lighting manufacturer meeting the demand for energy efficient solid-state lighting in architectural, commercial and industrial projects worldwide. LightWild's daily focus centers on inventing and incorporating new SSL technologies, increasing the productivity of their core customer base, and practicing environmental awareness.
GENESYS
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Please join us for a presentation at the GENESYS facilities in Kansas City, MO. The presentations will include an introduction to the company culture and its importance to the business and their internal information management system to streamline work processes, keep employees informed, and provide useful tools for engineering and sales. If you would like to attend this event, reply to this e-mail or send an RSVP to dcmiller@asme.org.
When: October 25th
5:30pm - 5:45pm Introduction to GENESYS (Roger Hagen)
5:45pm - 6:00pm Who we are (Pat Perry)
6:00pm - 6:30pm What we do (Carlos Quesada, Abe Markose)
6:30pm - 7:00pm Dinner & discussion
7:00pm - ???pm ASME Meeting
Where: Genesys Corp, 3210 E 85th Street, Kansas City
Directions to Genesys
cost: None
GENESYS provides engineering, design-build and construction of material-handling systems for the fiberglass insulation, automotive and industrial sectors.
Tour of MINDDRIVE HQ
Monday, September 12, 2011
Please join us for a tour of the facilities including student presentations at the MINDDRIVE headquarters in Kansas City, MO. The tour will feature past and present projects and dinner. Parking is available adjacent to the building with additional parking street-side and at the Justice Center down the street. If you would like to attend this event, reply to this e-mail or send an RSVP to dcmiller@asme.org.
When: September 12th
5:30 - 6:30 Arrive and tour facility
6:30 - 7:30 Student Presentations
7:30 - 8:30 Dine
Where: MINDDRIVE HQ
2615 Holmes Road
Kansas City
Directions
Cost: $20 for Members and Guests, $10 for Students
MINDDRIVE is a stand-alone non-profit organization hosting five schools from the Kansas City Metropolitan area. Their mission statement is to inspire at-risk teens to want to learn by expanding their vision for the future, and to transform and sustain the urban work force. Their expanded mission includes working in urban communities with teens on green technology and innovation through critical thinking and experiential learning.
Projects include building unique electric cars, teaching efficiency dynamics and innovative aerodynamics, all while integrating school curriculum in math, science and history. In addition MINDDRIVE counsels students on career paths, and helps them to secure positions for them in like-minded industries within their urban community.
If you would like to attend please email Duange at dcmiller@asme.org
Quote of the month: "Engineering is a great profession. There is the satisfaction of watching a figment of the imagination emerge through the aid of science to a plan on paper. Then it moves to realization in stone or metal or energy. Then it brings homes to men or women. Then it elevates the standard of living and adds to the comforts of life. This is the engineer's high privilege. - Herbert Hoover"
Kansas City ASME is a section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers