There is no other state like California. Within its 850-mile north to south track, it is our most populous state and one of the most diverse geographical, economic, and cultural regions in the United States. Come with AGMA to Southern California, where, since the 16th century, it has been the ultimate “melting pot.” This area was home to the first Spanish settlement in America. Now, in lieu of missions, this area is now renowned for sunny warm weather, The Beach Boys, and, more recently, a thriving community defined by tourism and the defense and aerospace industries.
This is a first for the AGMA and AGMA members, as we venture into the warm Southern California sun for our annual opportunity to network and bring home the latest “best practices” from fellow gear and bearing industry executives.
Whether you are new to the association or an “old pro,” I hope you consider joining over 250 of the current and future industry leaders from the American Gear Manufacturers Association and the American Bearing Manufacturers Association when they convene at their joint annual meeting, April 25-27, at the Park Hyatt Aviara Golf Resort in Carlsbad, CA.
More than 150 years ago, thousands of people migrated to California, where they joined forces and tested their luck in the gold fields. Fast forward to 2013. Whether you are a veteran or a “first timer” annual meeting attendee, expand your horizons and join your colleagues in the Golden State. Here, you will increase your knowledge of the industry’s presentations and experience the majesty of Southern California in and around Carlsbad, Oceanside, La Jolla, and Miramar. In this year, you will bring home ideas, meet new business associates, and create a lifetime of memories.
The planning committee has created a meeting experience that is sure to prepare you and your businesses for the coming years. In addition to the educational sessions, it will be a great time to engage in dialogue with your peers and keep the industry progressing on the post-recession road.
The speaker line-up for the meeting is top-notch. They will present topics that will inspire you and provide you, your company, and your colleagues with much needed updates and knowledge on several important business related topics.
The meeting kicks off with a presentation by Jim Abbott, former MLB player and motivational speaker, who will share his life principles of “ADAPTing.” You will learn how his personal challenge of adapting to pitching in the major league minus one arm forced him to learn how to break down challenges into five key strategies, which he has translated into a successful business model.
Additional topics will include updates on the current fiscal and economic climate in Washington, the current political environment for manufacturing, and how this will affect potential key legislation. Among the speakers who will address these important topics include: Jay Timmons, President and CEO of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and Jim Meil, Vice President and Chief Economist, Eaton Corporation.
Along with the presentations, the attendees are invited to continue networking during the annual golf tournament which will take place on the Park Hyatt Aviara’s Arnold Palmer-designed course. This course meanders along the Batiquitos Lagoon, home to shorebirds and a variety of natural vegetation. Aviara was carefully designed over nearly a decade to help protect the ecological habitat of these species.
Friday night, April 26, attendees will have the experience of a lifetime with an inclusive tour of the USMC Air Station, Miramar. The trip will include a visit to the actual flight line at Miramar, former home to the military’s elite Top Gun school, and several opportunities to have one on one interaction with active duty pilots. Imagine the thrill of looking into the cockpit of an F/A-18 Hornet or under the blades of a CH-53 Super Stallion! Pending base operations, the group may witness an actual aircraft take-off or landing. USMC Miramar is the only functioning Marine Air Station in the world that permits group visits in this manner.
The meeting concludes on Saturday night, April 27th with classic entertainment from the 1960’s. The Los Angeles-based group Oh What a Night – Boys from Jersey will step back in time and relive the great songs by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
The Park Hyatt Aviara promises to be a comfortable and convenient setting for peer-to-peer interaction. The resort is located on 200 acres of lush hillsides and rolling valleys overlooking the Pacific Coast, 45 minutes north of the San Diego International Airport.
Further information about the joint meeting, including registration, hotel reservations, agenda, and program updates are located on the subsequent pages or online at www.agma.org. Any additional questions can be directed to AGMA at 703-684-0211.
We look forward to seeing you in Southern California and showing you how this experience can impact you personally as an industry leader and your company as you plan for the future. This is a “can’t miss” event in a perfect setting, accompanied by interesting colleagues, exciting adventures, and golf, all wrapped up into a memorable three-day opportunity.
AGMA Begins 2013 With Metallurgy Course
February 6-8, 2013
Sheraton Sand Key Hotel, Clearwater Beach, FL
AGMA opens its 2013 education schedule with “Gear Materials: Selection, Metallurgy, Heat Treatment, and Quality Control,” February 6-8. The course, taught by popular instructors Raymond Drago and Roy Cunningham of Drive Systems Technology, Inc. will give gearing professionals the tools needed to select the best materials for a project, and to optimize the finished project through consideration of the metallurgy and heat treat process.
Ideally, the design of an optimum gear set requires the coordinated effort of the gear design engineer, the gear metallurgist, and the bearing system engineer. The gear is, after all, part of a larger gearbox system thus it cannot be designed in a vacuum. After the basic requirements of the system are met the system must be “sized” to carry the expected loads. As part of this process, the materials and heat treatment operations to be used for the gears must be selected. In the best case, this is a collaborative effort between the gear design engineer and the gear metallurgist. The presenters have designed gear systems as a collaborative effort, together, for more than 40 years. This seminar is their effort to convey both their experience in the process of working as a team and the expertise they have developed for the complete design of geared systems over these many years.
As one student commented, “I found it very informative and a nice balance between gear design, which I was unfamiliar with, and heat treatment, which is a little more up my alley.”
Some of the topics to be discussed are: initial gear material selection; heat treatment processes and their relation to gear performance, cost, reliability, and load characteristics; engineering drawing development; review of the engineering drawing; understanding melt processing; and gear materials.
Additionally, the seminar will compare the various carburizing processes and how to optimize the cycle; discuss why the metallurgist should review the manufacturing process sequence, the heat treat facility and laboratory. The instructors will also provide examples on how to complete a metallurgical heat treat test sample and how to evaluate the results.
A wide variety of gearing professionals can benefit from this course including:
• Gear design engineers
• Management involved with the design and manufacture of gearing type components
• Metallurgists and materials engineers
• Laboratory technicians
• Quality assurance engineers
• Furnace design engineers
• Equipment suppliers
The entire course outline and registration information are available at www.agma.org. Participants will receive a certificate of completion at the conclusion of the course, and this course is part of the Advanced Gear Engineering Academy.
The Countdown to Gear Expo has Begun!
Gear Expo 2013 is only nine months away. The show will help you stay ahead of the business cycle, and it only happens once every two years. Don’t get left behind as the industry moves forward. Mark your calendar now for September 17-19 for the worldwide gear industry event in Indianapolis.
Here’s what you’ll get from attending Gear Expo 2013:
– Efficient solutions to streamline your workflow, reduce errors and increase productivity. You can browse the exhibits, compare product features side-by-side, and capitalize on show specials from the world’s leading manufacturers. Save time and money at just one show.
– Twice the business with only one trip away from your office — the ASM Heat Treating Society Conference & Exposition is co-locating with Gear Expo 2013. That means more access to more exhibitors and emerging technologies impacting the gear industry.
– A chance to see the heavy equipment in person and in action, allowing you to put the machinery through its paces before you make a large acquisition. You’ll easily make up the time out of the office by holding a year’s worth of business meetings in just three short days.
– The latest trends and best practices that will improve your profitability. Gear Expo offers affordable, respected, gear-specific curriculum led by experts in their field. The Gear Expo Solutions Center also provides FREE education on the show floor that can help you solve your manufacturing predicaments. The ROI on that knowledge will more than pay for your trip!
This is an opportunity to visit a global gear-specific event that’s located in a convenient and affordable city. Indianapolis is centrally located to more than half of the U.S. population, within driving distance for many or you can take one of numerous daily flights.
More than 170 exhibitors have already committed to exhibiting at Gear Expo 2013. The Show floor is almost sold out, but if you want to meet qualified attendees actively seeking to purchase your products and equipment there are still a few spaces available.
