Event brings together three conferences

Seattle 2006, from 15th to 18th May, brings together three technical conferences and expositions, resulting in one of the world's largest gatherings of materials science and engineering specialists.

Materials information society ASM International has announced Seattle 2006, which will be held from 15th to 18th May at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, USA.

The event will bring together three leading technical conferences and expositions for the first time, resulting in one of the largest gatherings - more than 2000 professionals - of materials science and engineering specialists worldwide.

The Aeromat Conference (for advanced aerospace materials and processes) and the International Surface Engineering Congress - both sponsored by ASM International - will be colocated with the International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition, sponsored by the ASM Thermal Spray Society (TSS), the German Welding Society (DVS) and the International Institute of Welding.

A single registration fee provides access to all three technical programmes and expositions.

"We look forward to this unique gathering of the materials science and engineering communities", said ASM President Reza Abbaschian, Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of California, Riverside.

"We will discuss new developments and innovative ways to increase performance while meeting industry's needs for lower cost, longer service life, maximum safety and minimal impact to the environment".

Event Chairman Roberto Rioja, Senior Technical Specialist and Technical Manager at the Alcoa Technical Center, said: "Alcoa is proud to be the host organisation for Aeromat 2006".

"More than 250 companies and organisations will represent every facet of the aerospace community, including materials producers and fabricators, OEMs, government labs and university researchers".

Aeromat is the premier North American conference focused exclusively on process development and advanced aerospace materials, structures and propulsion systems.

The technical focus for the 17th Aeromat will be the integration of materials, design and manufacturing for high-performance, low-cost aerostructures.

Topics will include: model development and implementation for enhanced materials, processing and performance; emerging materials and processes; high-temperature materials; innovative hybrid structures; light alloy, titanium alloys and welding and joining technologies; materials and processes for space applications; nondestructive evaluation and health monitoring and prognostics; and surface engineering for aerospace applications.

The Aeromat plenary speaker will be John Liu, Director of Aerospace and Materials Technology at the Alcoa Technical Center.

In his presentation, Liu will describe advanced structural concepts for wing and fuselage applications and large-scale test results that are fuelling optimism for advanced metallic and hybrid structures in future aircraft.

The International Surface Engineering Congress focuses on practical engineering and the science of surface treatments and coatings.

"The congress will offer comprehensive coverage of surface engineering, including industrial processes, tribology, failure analysis, corrosion, bio/dental applications and technologies at the micro- and nano-scale", said Event Chairman Mark Jackson, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Purdue University.

The congress plenary speaker will be Allan Matthews, Professor of Surface Engineering in the Department of Engineering Materials at the University of Sheffield, UK, who will discuss the role of nanocomposite coatings in surface engineering.

The worldwide thermal spray community will celebrate 100 years of progress and discuss future challenges and growth opportunities at the International Thermal Spray Conference and Exposition (ITSC).

This year's event will feature a renowned gathering of industry, academic and government experts from the field, including plenary speaker Malcolm Thomas, Director of Materials and Mechanical Behaviour at Rolls-Royce.

This year's technical session will feature coverage of applications and processes, biomedical coatings, cold spray technologies, economic and regulatory issues, equipment and processes, as well as modelling and simulation.

To reflect the international audience for the event, ITSC rotates annually to locations in Europe, the Pacific Rim and North America.

"Being held in Seattle brings thermal spray, a unique surface engineering and coating technology, closer to American aerospace manufacturers and suppliers that already apply the technology, but organisers also look forwards to bringing the benefits of thermal spray - namely, cost-effective resistance to wear, heat, corrosion and erosion - to many other industries", said Event Cochairman Richard Knight, President of the ASM Thermal Spray Society and Director of the Center for the Plasma Processing of Materials at Drexel University.

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