American Society of Mechanical Engineers - North West Houston Sub Section Previous Meeting History

North West Houston
Sub Section
Home

American Society of Mechanical Engineers
North West Houston Sub Section

Welcome to the website of the North West Houston Sub Section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers International (ASME), the Internet resource of choice for mechanical engineers in the Houston area.

Meetings for 1996-97
Meetings Prior to September 2001
Meetings 2001 - 2002
Meetings 2002 - 2003

Previous Meetings 2004

December 9, 2004 Luncheon	The Prius Hybrid Automobile	Dan Lee Technical Training Manager Gulf States Toyota, Inc
November 18, 2004 Luncheon	Tension: How we built Nineteeth Century America	Dr. John Lienhard University of Houston
October 28, 2004 Luncheon	Fuel Cell Revolution: Boom or Bust	Daniel Bullock Program Manager Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) in the Woodlands
September 23, 2004 Luncheon	How we do think versus How we should think When we design	Dr. Chris Burger Texas A&M (Retired)
August 26, 2004 Luncheon	Steel and Its Heat Treatment	Paul Kovach Senior Metallurgical Consultant Stress Engineering Services
June 24, 2004 Luncheon	Innovative Technology and Robotic – Assisted Cardiac Surgery 1st Annual NWHSS Robotic Invitational Challenge	Eyal E. Porat, M.D. The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School Medical Director, The Memorial Hermann Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Robotics Technology
May 27, 2004 Luncheon	News from the Texas State Board	Don Willhouse, P.E. Director of Licensing Texas State Board
April 22, 2004 Luncheon	Predict Future Failures From Your Maintenance Records	Paul Barringer Barringer & Associates, Inc
March 25, 2004 Luncheon	Wireless Strain Gage Measurements	Steve Arms President of MicroStrain, Inc
February 26, 2004 Luncheon	Flex Rig Technology	Johnny Tauzin Helmerich and Payne
February 19, 2004 Luncheon	New Developments in Ultrasonic Residual Stress Measurement	Dr. Don Bray President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Engineer Don E Bray, Inc
February 17, 2004 Luncheon	Get To Know Your Elected Officials Day	Congressman and former nominee for US President Dr. Ron Paul (R) Texas District 14 and Texas Representative Corbin Van Arsdale (R) Texas District 130
January 22, 2004 Luncheon	Outlook for Natural Gas	Michele Markey Director, Natural Gas Marketing Apache Corporation

December 9, 2004 Luncheon

The Prius Hybrid Automobile

with

Dan Lee

Technical Training Manager
Gulf States Toyota, Inc

Prius is a Latin word meaning “to go before.” Toyota chose this name because the Prius vehicle is the predecessor of cars to come. Rapid population growth and economic development in recent decades have resulted in a sharp increase in fossil fuel consumption on a global scale. Faced with the challenges to create an earth-friendly vehicle, Toyota has produced the world’s first mass produced hybrid automobile.

In its simplest form, a hybrid system combines the best operating characteristics of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. More sophisticated hybrid systems, such the Toyota Hybrid System, recover energy otherwise lost to heat in the brakes and use it to supplement the power of its fuel-burning engine. These sophisticated techniques allow the Toyota Hybrid System to achieve superior fuel efficiency and a massive reduction in CO2.

When the Prius was first released, it was selected as the world’s best-engineered passenger car for 2001. The car was chosen because it is the first hybrid vehicle that seats four to five people plus their luggage, and it is one of the most economical and environmentally friendly vehicles available. Then in 2004, the second generation Prius won the prestigious Motor Trend Car of the Year award and best-engineered vehicle of 2004.

THS-II features 60 mpg city and 51 mpg highway milage
SULEV standards are about 75% more stringent than ULEV and nearly 90% cleaner than LEV for smog forming exhaust gases.
SULEV vehicles will emit less than a single pound of hydrocarbons during 100,000 miles of driving (about the same as spilling a pint of gasoline).
AT-PZEV vehicles use advanced technology capable of producing zero emissions during at least part of the vehicle’s drive cycle.

Visit these web sites for more information:

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest!

Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Davis at 281-890-8441.

Click here for directions.

Thursday December 9, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Speaker Presentation

1:00 pm     Meeting closes

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Dan Lee is responsible for Toyota technical training in GST's five state region. Certified by Toyota Motor Sales, USA as a Toyota Service Training Specialist, Certified TMS Master Diagnostic Technician and Toyota Hybrid System Certified Technician. Certified ASE Master Technician and ASE Certified in Alternative Fuels. After graduating from the automotive program at Texas State Technical College He has worked ten years as a line technician before returning to T.S.T.C. to become an instructor in automotive technology. Fifteen years experience providing Toyota Technical training to dealership personnel.

November 18, 2004 Luncheon

Tension:
How we built Nineteeth Century America

with

Dr. John Lienhard

University of Houston

Now and then it has been useful "to shut off the internal conversations and listen to what is going on around you".

John pesented a lecture themed around the innovation and change created by a "new" structural design concept: tension elements. Until a material was developed to carry loads in tension, most of the architecture and building construction used compression elements.

Several examples were discussed and a handout provided to illustrate the contributions of the French Eiffel Tower and Liberty's skeleton framework, and Roebling's Delaware River Bridge using suspension cables as compered to the Monadock Building whose walls flared toward the bottom. The Woolworth Building with balloon frame construction began to appear in housing and WW-I aircraft.

The Engines of Our Ingenuity is a radio program that tells the story of how our culture is formed by human creativity. Written and hosted by John Lienhard, it is heard nationally on Public Radio and produced by KUHF-FM Houston. Among other features, the web site below houses the transcripts for every episode heard since the show's inception in 1988. Streaming audio is available on each of the posted episodes.

Visit http://www.uh.edu/engines/ for more information.

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest!

Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Davis at 281-890-8441.

Click here for directions.

Thursday November 18, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Speaker Presentation

1:00 pm     Meeting closes

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

John H. Lienhard, author and voice of The Engines of Our Ingenuity, is M.D. Anderson Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering and History at the University of Houston. He is known for his research in the thermal sciences as well as in cultural history. He is an Honorary Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

For his work on Engines, Dr. Lienhard received the ASME Ralph Coates Roe Medal for contributions to the public understanding of technology, the 1991 Portrait Division Award from the American Women in Radio and Television, and the 1998 American Society of Mechanical Engineers Engineer-Historian Award. He was also named one of five finalists from among the 1,300 entrants in the 1993 New York Festival International Radio Competition.

October 28, 2004 Luncheon

Fuel Cell Revolution: Boom or Bust

with

Daniel Bullock

Program Manager of the fuel cell activities at the
Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) in the Woodlands

Fuel cells have been widely touted in the media as a possible replacement for the internal combustion engine. While this may one day become reality, fuel cells will likely be used in a surprisingly wide range of applications including electronic devices, portable power supplies, and stationary power generation long before they reach the passenger car. So where are they? Come find out what's taking this promising technology so long to reach the market.

More information may be found at these sites:

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest!

Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Davis at 281-890-8441.

Click here for directions.

Thursday October 28, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Speaker Presentation

1:00 pm     Meeting closes

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Daniel Bullock is Program Manager of the fuel cell activities at the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) in the Woodlands. He joined HARC in July 2002 and is responsible for the technical and programmatic direction of the Center for Fuel Cell Research and Applications, a joint industry program providing surveillance, testing, and evaluation of fuel cell technologies.

Prior to his role at HARC, Dan has over ten years experience in technical program management at Advanced Micro Devices, International Business Machines, and a number of technology start-ups in the energy and semiconductor industries. Dan is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University, where he received a BS in solid state physics. Dan also received an MS in Engineering from UT Austin and the MPA degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at UT Austin.

September 23, 2004 Luncheon

How we do think
versus
How we should think
When we design

with

Dr. Chris Burger
Texas A&M (Retired)

The ability to design effectively, efficiently and with a high degree of innovation is the quintessential characteristic that sets the professional engineer apart from the scientist. Yet, neither the art nor the science of design is understood or taught in any coherent way. In this talk we will explore a few cognitive habits which constitute the fundamental skills subconsciously employed by most successful designers.

By intuition, most, if not all engineers think configurationally. When confronted with a problem we think of a solution and what it should look like. This is obviously the ultimate goal but, if in our rush to get started, we slight the conceptual and abstract thoughts about the need and proposed solutions, we set ourselves up for fixation on possibly sub-optimal solutions and/or nasty surprises down the line. Truly successful designers generally follow a more disciplined thought process which will enable innovation and open the door for innovative technologies and paradigm shifts. We will explore how all of us can be more conscious about the ways in which we think about our designs.

Dr. Burger's presentation is available for download (ppt) by clicking Design Thinking

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest!

Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Davis at 281-890-8441.

Click here for directions.

Thursday September 23, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Speaker Presentation

1:00 pm     Meeting closes

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Chris Burger is a professor emeritus in Mechanical Engineering and past director of the Institute for Innovation and Design in Engineering at Texas A & M University. He received his PhD degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, in 1967. In 1971 he and his family immigrated to the US to join the Engineering Mechanics Faculty at Iowa State University where he worked with William Riley in the newly formed Dynamic Photoelasticity Laboratory and initiated a program in phyto-mechanics using strain gages to measure the instantaneous dynamic responses of trees to their environment.

In 1986, he moved to Texas A&M University to establish a new research thrust in non contact laser/fiber-optic NDE and to develop an integrated research and teaching program in engineering design. In developing the design program, he solicited and received much professional help, guidance and practical support from several design teams in the oil service industries in Houston and Dallas. The active participation of many Houston area members of ASME with Aggie undergraduate and graduate design students on senior and graduate level design problems continues to be the backbone of that design program.

P9230001b.jpg	P9230002b.jpg	P9230003b.jpg
P9230004b.jpg	P9230007b.jpg

August 26, 2004 Luncheon

Steel and Its Heat Treatment

with

Paul Kovach

Senior Metallurgical Consultant
Stress Engineering Services
Steel consists of iron and one or more other alloying elements. Iron, as is true for all metals, is crystalline when solidified. Iron is somewhat unique since it undergoes changes in its crystal structure when heated and cooled through specific temperature ranges. When alloyed, especially with carbon, these crystal structure changes are used to harden, strengthen, and toughen steel by various thermal cycles. These crystal structures, their changes, and general properties will be described. The bases for various heat treatments will be covered for fuller understanding of what is actually happening when iron or steel is heated, forged, slow cooled, quenched, and tempered.

Paul's presentation can be downloaded from the Houston Area Blacksmiths web site at HABA Metallurgy for Blacksmiths

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest!

Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Davis at 281-890-8441.

Click here for directions.

Thursday August 26, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Speaker Presentation

1:00 pm     Meeting closes

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Paul Kovach has M.S. Metallurgy from M.I.T. in 1962 and B.E. Cum Laude, from Youngstown State in 1960. He is a Senior Metallurgical Consultant with Stress Engineering Services where he is an expert in failure analysis especially evaluation of fracture surfaces to determine modes of failure. This includes material behaviors under static, dynamic, creep, fatigue, and impact loading. He is also epert in oxidation and corrosion in flue gases, seawater, and a wide variety of produced and process fluids. He is an expert in weldability and welding procedure development, and materials selection and applications in industries such as petrochemical, power generation, oil and gas production, nuclear, pipeline, and transportation.

P8260001b.jpg	P8260002b.jpg
P8260003b.jpg	P8260004b.jpg

June 24, 2004 Luncheon

Innovative Technology and Robotic – Assisted Cardiac Surgery

with

Eyal E. Porat, M.D.

Director, Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery and Robotics Program, Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School
Medical Director, The Memorial Hermann Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Robotics Technology

and

1st Annual NWHSS
Robotic Invitational Challenge
NWHSS has previously held several programs on robotic applications and has promoted and supported several student activities associated with robotic competitions.

This year for our annual "Fun" theme meeting we are having our own robot demonstration and contest to celebrate this year's great achievements on Mars as well as Earth. To enhance our program we are also able to provide a significant technical program concerning a more personal connection to robotic applications.

The beginning of the 21st century brought increased use of computerized technology in medicine and surgery. The development of robotic surgical systems opened new approaches in general and cardiac surgery. Robotic enhancement has emerged as a facilitator of minimally invasive surgery in various surgical fields, primarily in cardiac surgery. The rapid growth of minimally invasive surgery has been driven not only by improved outcomes, such as less pain, shorter recovery time, fewer complications and reduced system-wide costs, but also by patient demand. Despite clinical and economic advantages, only a small percentage of surgeries performed in the United States are done minimally invasively. Computer-assisted technology will propel minimally invasive surgery forward and is expected to revolutionize the way health care is delivered.

The da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System is in service at Memorial Hermann Hospital for over one year. It can be used for a wide variety of cardiac procedures, including:

Mitral Valve Repair
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Pericardial exploration and pleuro-pericardial windows
Epicardial Pacemaker Leads placement for BiVentricular Resynchronization

This Surgical System is groundbreaking technology that extends the surgeon’s capabilities in the various ways; it improves the surgeon’s dexterity, increases his range of motion, provides greater surgical precision and enhances 3-D Visualization.

Dr. Porat will provide an overview of the evolution of cardiac surgery as it began half a century ago. From the time of the “Ice bath surgery” prior to the era of the heart and lung machine, to the modern era of minimally invasive and robotic cardiac surgery. The talk will focus on the capabilities of surgical robotic systems in cardiac surgery and on current and future research that is performed at the Memorial Hermann Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Robotics Technology.

Our Robotic Invitational Challenge will be for Members and their families, students, and all robotic enthusiasts. We will set up a small arena where our creations will accomplish a mission with the clock running. The fastest with the mostest wins. See the links below.

Klaus Hellnick is building the competition arena and he sends the following description:

It will be a 6'x6' square with 1' high walls. It will be made of hinged sections for easy transportaion and setup. The walls will be painted red. This will make it easier for the robots to spot the balloons.

The Sumo-Bots have 2 sets of sensors built in. There are light sensors that use CdS photocells, which are mostly sensitive to green and yellow. There are also infrared proximity sensors that are used to avoid bumping into objects. By painting the walls red, the light sensors can easily be used to look for the balloons because they will stand out against what appears to be a black background to the photo cells.

The light sensor range can be improved by mounting white or green headlights on the front of the robot. The infrared proximity detectors should have no trouble detecting the walls, since they still reflect the infrared light.

Here are some links you may wish to visit to get prepared :

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest! Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Shultz at 281-890-8441.

Click here for directions. .

Thursday June 24, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served & Competition begins

12 noon     Speaker Presentation

12:45 pm     Competitions conclude and Awards announced

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Dr. Eyal Porat is currently an Assistant Professor with the Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston, Texas, as well as the Director of minimally invasive cardiothoracic surgery and robotics program and Medical Director of “The Memorial Hermann Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Robotics Technology” there. He attended medical school at Ben Gurion University in Be’er Sheva, Israel. He completed his residency in cardiothoracic surgery at Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel. He was involved in clinical research at University Hospital “Vrije Universiteit” in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and headed a research program for right heart assist devices for beating heart coronary artery surgery at the Carmel Medical Center. Dr. Porat served as an Air Force medical officer with a search and rescue unit while in Israel. He was an attending surgeon with the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Carmel Medical Center. His research interests include robotic surgery as well as minimally invasive and beating heart coronary artery surgery. He is a member of many professional organizations and medical societies and serves on the editorial board of a professional journal. For the past three years, Dr. Porat practices and works at Memorial Hermann hospital and the university of Texas at Houston.

Return to Top

May 27, 2004 Luncheon

News from the Texas State Board
Don Willhouse

Don Willhouse, P.E.
Director of Licensing
Texas State Board

Issues and important topics this year continue with encouragement of Licensure, Sunset Review and CPC, Use of the title Engineer, Industry exemption, and the role of direct supervision.

Don's presentation and a documentation form are available for download:

Additional information about this topic can be found at these sites:

Texas Board of Professional Engineers

Texas Legislature Online

Texas Senate Online

Texas House Online

Murdough Center for Ethics

TAMU Engineering Ethics

ASME
Board on Professional Practice and Ethics

Principles....

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest! Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Shultz at 281-890-8441.

Click here for directions. .

Thursday May 27, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Presentation begins

1:00 pm     Official Meeting Closes

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Don Willhouse received his BS in Civil Engineering at the University of Houston, his Master of Civil Engineering at Mississippi State University, and MS in Management (Public Administration) from the University of Central Texas. He is a licensed professional engineer in Texas. Mr. Willhouse is very active in the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Boy Scouts, the Military Order of the World Wars, and many other organizations.

A retired LTC, Corps of Engineers, US Army, Colonel Willhouse flew helicopters in the Viet Nam war, commanded engineer units and was a staff officer in engineer units and major headquarters in Korea, Germany, and the United States, to include a tour in the Pentagon. He has worked for the State of Texas for the last 10 years, first in the Department of Health as administrator of the asbestos enforcement program, and then 5 years as the Manager, Plant Maintenance and Operations for the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Joining the engineer board on February 1, 2003, he is currently the Director of Licensing.

Among his awards are the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, 13 Air Medals, and numerous other military awards. He is an Eagle Scout and holder of the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts. In addition, he has received the Outstanding Public Service Award from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Service to People Award from the Texas Section, American Society of Civil Engineers.

Photos from Last Years Meeting...

Return to Top

NWHSS Member Visits School during Engineers Week
Dr. Mac Samman visited a class during Engineers Week to discuss our profession, and distributed a tool kit donated by NWHSS. Here are some photos and examples of "Thank You" notes he received.

click on image to view....

Return to Top

April 22, 2004 Luncheon

Joint Meeting with Petroleum Technical Chapter

Predict Future Failures From Your Maintenance Records
with
Paul Barringer
Barringer & Associates, Inc
Crow/AMSAA reliability growth plots use failure information from maintenance systems to provide a visual tool, with straight-line graphs, for predicting the next failure in systems where humans can influence the results. C/A plots work well with single failure or mixed failure modes. The simple log-log plots have easily calculated statistics to show if failures are increasing, decreasing, or exhibiting no-change in failure rates. The straight-line plots are helpful for forecasting future failures.

The fearless forecasts of future events catches the interest of people who can change the system to prevent the forecasted events. When implementing system improvements calculate and track the savings in failures between the old and new methods to convert maintenance situations into time and money for easy selection of alternatives.

Additional information is found online at Paul's web site:

Barringer & Associates, Inc
Slides for this presentation (pdf)
The Technical Paper "Predict Future Failures From Your Maintenance Records" (pdf)

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest! Click here for directions. .

Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Shultz at 281-955-2900.

Thursday April 22, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Presentation begins

1:00 pm     Meeting Closes

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Paul Barringer whose motto is "Simple Tools Strong Results" is a reliability, manufacturing, and engineering consultant. His worldwide consulting practice involves consulting and training with a variety of discrete and continuous process manufacturing companies and service industries.

Paul was Chair and webmaster for NWHSS during its rejuvenation in the mid 1990's and his web pages are still available in the Previous Meetings section of their web site.

He is author of the training courses Reliability Engineering Principles , Process Reliability, and Life Cycle Cost.

Barringer has more than forty years of engineering and manufacturing experience in design, production, quality, maintenance, and reliability of technical products. Note his experience in both the technical and bottom-line aspects of operating a business with an understanding of how reliable products and processes contribute to financial business success.

Barringer has been:

Director of Manufacturing and Director of Engineering in an ISO 9001 facility for highly specialized mechanical devices used as safety valves for containing pressures up to 20,000 psi during drilling of high pressure, high temperature oil and gas wells in sub-sea and land applications.
Director of Manufacturing, Director of Engineering, and Plant Manager for domestic and international plants threading proprietary tubing and casing connections using specialized gaging systems for quality control of metal-to-metal seals on oil country tubular goods used down hole in deep, high pressure, oil and gas fields.
Operations Manager in a multi-plant manufacturing operation for high-speed equipment used in textile machinery.
Manufacturing Manager and Plant Engineer in nickel and cobalt based high alloy mills, foundries, machine shops, tube mills, and fabricating operations.
Development Engineer for ultra high-speed centrifuges used in separating uranium isotopes and biological materials on a production basis.

Barringer is a Registered Professional Engineer (Texas-51508). He is named as inventor in six USA Patents. Also he is a contributor to The New Weibull Handbook, a reliability text published by Dr. Robert B. Abernethy.

Barringer’s education includes a MS and BS in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University. Additionally he was a participant in Harvard University's three-week Manufacturing Strategy conference.

Return to Top

March 25, 2004 Luncheon

Wireless Strain Gage Measurements
with
Steve Arms
President of MicroStrain, Inc. in Burlington VT
This presentation will summarize the development of wireless micro-displacement & strain sensing systems for medical, civil structural, automotive, and aerospace structural health monitoring (SHM) applications. By combining advanced, low power microprocessors, flexible software operating modes, and low power signal conditioners, these systems were optimized for very low power operation, while permitting high speed data logging and wireless communications capabilities. A wide range of solutions deploying wireless strain sensors will be discussed.

Additional information is found online at the MicroStrain web site:

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest! Click here for directions. .

Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Shultz at 281-955-2900.

Thursday March 25, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Presentation begins

1:00 pm     Meeting Closes

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Steve Arms has been President of MicroStrain in Burlington, Vermont since 1986 and has been Pricipal Investigator on many State and Federal SBIR Grants for transducer and measurment applications. His present research concerns the development of micro-miniature, displacement, force, and pressure transducers for medical research, clinical test & measurement, civil & automotive engineering, and virtual reality applications. This includes design of low power microelectronic circuits for transducer signal conditioning, remote powering, re-programming, & wireless data transmission. He has received a number of Patents for his technical innovations.

Return to Top

National Engineers Week is February 22-28

February 26, 2004 Luncheon

Joint Meeting with Petroleum Technical Chapter

Flex Rig Technology
with
Johnny Tauzin
Helmerich and Payne
The US Land industry has an opportunity to change perceptions and expectations for land rigs. With the philosophy of “HSE by design”, the prevention of safety and environmental incidents are possible by eliminating and controlling hazards during design and fabrication of a drilling rig. Additionally, “value by design”, can improve operator and contractor efficiencies by focusing on the critical path to reduce cycle times and improve drilling efficiencies controlled by the contractor. The critical path refers to those essential tasks that must be accomplished in order, with no slack time in-between, to accomplish the objective at hand within the shortest timeframe possible.

The first generation FlexRig™ concept was developed from the learnings of the highly mobile rigs H&P acquired in 1994. The new rigs were designed to be “depth flexible”, allowing them drill economically for customers at depths from 8000 feet to 18,000 feet (see figure 1). The economies are derived from rig move costs and cycle times being competitive with a highly mobile rig (see Figure 3), as well as having equivalent engine horsepower, mud pumping hydraulics and the rotary capabilities of a conventional 1500 horsepower rig that are required for 18,000 foot wells.

More info is available at these sites:

P2260001b.jpg	P2260002b.jpg	P2260003b.jpg
P2260007b.jpg	P2260008b.jpg	P2260009b.jpg
P2260004b.jpg	P2260011b.jpg	P2260005b.jpg

Return to Top

National Engineers Week is February 22-28

Continuity and Change in ASME - Houston

February 19, 2004 Luncheon

New Developments in
Ultrasonic Residual Stress Measurement
with
Dr. Don Bray
President, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Engineer
Don E Bray, Inc
Don will report on a survey of the techniques presented at a recent residual stress summit and then show the effect that residual stress measurement could have on factor of safety and Codes & Standards.

Nondestructive mapping of stress fields is available with a new tool based on the LCR ultrasonic technique. The LCR technique uses critically refracted ultrasonic waves propagating below and parallel to the surface of engineering specimens. It uses the acoustoelastic coefficient with the greatest slope, giving more sensitivity to stress than any other ultrasonic method. Moreover, the LCR technique is least affected by material texture.

The unique characteristic of the system is the use of hydraulic pressure and freely rotating probes to reduce couplant-induced travel time variations. With the hydraulic pressure, and other special features of the LCR probe system, stress fields have been mapped in welded steel plates, rolled aluminum plate, pressure vessels and pressure vessel welds, and turbine disks and blades.

One patent has been granted and two other patents are pending on the LCR probe system.

Additional information is found online at Don's web site:
Don E Bray, Inc

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest! Click here for directions. .

Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Shultz at 281-955-2900.

Thursday February 19, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Presentation begins

1:00 pm     Meeting Closes

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Dr. Don E. Bray has over thirty years of experience in nondestructive evaluation, working with industry and the U. S. Federal Government before joining academia. He is certified Level III by examination in ultrasonics by the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) and holds Fellow Membership rank with ASNT, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the Acoustical Socety of America (ASA) and the Permanent Way Institute (PWI) in the UK. He is a Past Chairman of the ASME NDE Engineering Division, is a registered professional engineer in Texas and Oklahoma, and a frequent consultant to industry on NDE matters. He is the author of three books on Nondestructive Evaluation, and numerous journal papers. In 1997, he served as a consultant to the University of Technology in Papua New Guinea in the development of their center on nondestructive evaluation. His recent research activities have been in the area of ultrasonic stress measurement in steel, aluminum and titanium plates, and in the development of novel ID surface wave techniques for boiler tubing inspection.

Dr. Don E. Bray was installed as the Vice President of the Materials and Structures Group of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers at the recent Summer Annual Meeting in Minneapolis. The M&S group includes Pressure Vessels and Piping, Pipeline, Materials and Nondestructive Evaluation Engineering Divisions.

P2190001b.jpg	P2190004b.jpg	P2190005b.jpg
P2190006b.jpg	P2190007b.jpg	P2190008b.jpg

Return to Top

National Engineers Week is February 22-28

Continuity and Change in ASME - Houston

Joint Meeting with South Texas Section
February 17, 2004 Luncheon

Get To Know Your Elected Officials Day
with
Congressman and former nominee for US President
Dr. Ron Paul (R) Texas District 14
and Texas Representative
Corbin Van Arsdale (R) Texas District 130
Dr. Ron Paul was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Gettysburg College and the Duke University School of Medicine, before serving as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force during the 1960s. He and his wife Carol moved to Texas in 1968, where he began his medical practice in Brazoria County. As a specialist in obstetrics/gynecology, Dr. Paul has delivered more than 4,000 babies! He and Carol reside in Surfside Beach, Texas and have five children and sixteen grandchildren.

Dr. Paul served in Congress during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1984, he voluntarily relinquished his House seat and returned to his medical practice. In 1988, he was the Libertarian Party nominee for the president of the United States. He returned to Congress in 1997 to represent the 14th Congressional district of Texas which stretches from the Gulf Coast south of Houston almost to Corpus Christi; north through Victoria and west close to San Antonio; extending north to Hays county near Austin. From Hays county, the District stretches east to Fayette and Colorado counties, south through Wharton county, and back to the Gulf through the lower half of Brazoria county. He serves on the House's Financial Services Committee, and the International Relations committee.

He is the author of several books, including Challenge to Liberty; The Case for Gold; and A Republic, If You Can Keep It. He has been a distinguished counselor to the Ludwig von Mises Institute, and is widely quoted by scholars and writers in the fields of monetary policy, banking, and political economy. He has received many awards and honors during his career in Congress, from organizations such as the National Taxpayers Union, Citizens Against Government Waste, the Council for a Competitive Economy, and Young Americans for Freedom.

Mr. Van Arsdale is General Counsel, civil construction firm of Boyer, Inc. in Houston. A fifth generation Texan, he is married to the former Jacqueline Jo Ripley and has three children. He has degrees in business and law from the University of Texas at Austin. Currently serves on the Boards of Spaulding for Children (non-profit adoption agency), Klein Bank Advisory, Boy Scouts (Polaris District Member at Large). Formerly served on the Katy Bar Association, Cy Fair and Tomball Chambers of Commerce, and the Tomball Rotary Club. He was elected in 2003 from District 130 to represent Cypress, Tomball, Copperfield, Hockley, and parts of Waller. He is a member of Insurance Committee, Urban Affairs Committee (Vice Chairman), and the Texas Legislative Council (Speaker appointment) .

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest! Click here for directions. .

Reservations Requested. Please contact Wendy Shultz at 281-955-2900.

Tuesday February 17, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Presentation begins

1:00 pm     Meeting Closes

P2170002b.jpg	P2170004b.jpg	P2170007b.jpg	P2170008b.jpg
P2170011b.jpg	P2170012b.jpg	P2170015b.jpg	P2170018b.jpg
P2170019b.jpg	P2170020b.jpg	P2170021b.jpg	P2170023b.jpg
P2170025b.jpg	P2170027b.jpg	P2170028b.jpg	P2170031b.jpg

Return to Top

National Engineers Week is February 22-28

January 22, 2004 Luncheon

Joint Meeting with Petroleum Technical Chapter
OUTLOOK For NATURAL GAS
with
Michele Markey
Director, Natural Gas Marketing
Apache Corporation
Engineering is “the economic application of scientific principles”. One of the most influential economic drivers of the Petroleum Industry is the natural gas market. And one of the most influential players in the natural gas market is the Apache Corporation. For 50 years, operating in the United States and Internationally, the Apache Corporation has grown to become one of the largest providers of natural gas to the U.S. market. Michele Markey will present Apache’s view of that market for 2004 and beyond.

You may download a B/W copy of Ms. Markey's presentation (Adobe 5.0 pdf) by clicking Apache's Outlook.

When & Where :

Stress Engineering Services Conference Center
13800 Westfair East Drive, Houston

Cost: Free Admission, and Brown Bag lunch is $10 with reservation. Membership Not Required. Bring a Guest! Click here for directions. .

Thursday January 22, 2004

11:30 am     Lunch served

11:45 am     Announcements

12 noon     Presentation begins

1:00 pm     Meeting Closes

Reservations Requested. Please contact Ed Banker or Morris Narunsky at 281-249-7459.

A few notes about our Distinguished Speaker :

Ms. Markey currently holds the position of Director of Natural Gas Marketing at Apache Corporation responsible for marketing Apache’s North American production of approximately 1.3 bcf/day, primarily in the Gulf Coast, Mid-Continent and Canadian markets. She has been in the energy business for 24 years, with supply and logistics experience in crude oil, refined products, and natural gas trading, transportation and supply. She has held various marketing positions at both gas and electric utilities. She spent four years of her career at Platts Global, as Director of Energy Trading Information Services. In that capacity, she managed the Gas Daily and Megawatt Daily Pricing Teams who are responsible for collecting and publishing the daily price indexes used throughout the energy industry. Ms. Markey graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in Economics and a minor in Transportation and Logistics.


		>

Upcoming Programs
We meet on fourth Thursday of the month for lunch unless noted.

February 17, 2004 : Get To Know Your Elected Officials Day - Congressman and former nominee for US President Dr. Ron Paul (R) Texas District 14, and Texas Representative Corbin Van Arsdale (R) Texas District 130

February 19, 2004 : New Developments in Ultrasonic Residual Stress Measurement with Dr. Don Bray

February 26, 2004 : Joint Meeting Petroleum Technical Chapter

March 25, 2004 : Steve Arms, President of MicroStrain, Inc. - Wireless Strain Gage Technology

April 29, 2004 : Predict Future Failures From Your Maintenance Records with Paul Barringer

May 27, 2004 : Annual News from Texas State Board

June 24, 2004 : TBA

Your suggestions and assistance are welcome. Contact Rafik Boubenider or Uma Mundle.

Executive Committee for Northwest Houston Sub Section

The officers for the 2004 operating year for the Northwest Houston Sub Section of ASME are:

Chair: Dr. Rafik Boubenider

Vice-Chair: Dr. Stuart Harbert

Secretary: Ramon San Pedro, P.E.

Treasurer and Webmaster: Richard Boswell, P.E.

Arrangements: Wendy Shultz

Programs: Uma Mundle

Student & Gov't Relations: Dr. Mahmod Samman, P.E.

All may be reached at 281-955-2900.

Return to Top

Notes about this Website

This website is Under Development and will continue to evolve for North West Houston Members. This is posted on ASME servers.

Please send all feedback/correction/omission/suggestions to NWHSS webmaster Richard Boswell.

Our goal is to make this NWHSS site reasonably useful and active asap. Thank you for your help.

All Officers and Members are requested to submit content.

Please send NWHSS webmaster email with attached files in Word or text to include on this site.

Enjoy!

www.asme.org/nwhss/nwhss.html
Last updates were on January 28, 2004.
Please email comments to nwhss webmaster
© Copyright 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 by ASME North West Houston Sub Section. All rights reserved.