Please describe one valuable idea or piece of information you gained at STLE’s 2015 Annual Meeting & Exhibition.
TLT Sounding Board July 2015
The entire lubricants community paused for five days in May as some 1,800 registrants, friends and guests gathered in Dallas for STLE’s 70th Annual Meeting & Exhibition. Conference attendees enjoyed a week of intense education, technical training and networking. With nearly 500 technical presentations, a 90-exhibitor trade show and a full slate of Commercial Marketing Forum presentations, the focus was on practical ideas for lubrication engineers and cutting-edge information for tribology researchers. Not to be overlooked was the meeting’s networking value—every survey respondent reported making a new friend or industry contact at the event. Following are some of the best ideas, as determined by conference attendees.
The educational course about metalworking fluids and their applicability was excellent.
I am sourcing a new piece of lab test equipment. I was able to connect with three suppliers at their booths to see the equipment and watch it demonstrated.
Lots of good information on industry trends that I picked up at the technical sessions.
Marine lubes in the RSC presentation.
Great information on hydraulic fluid test methods to determine pumpability. I gained the knowledge from the Advanced Lubrication 301 course.
Good update on chlorinated paraffins.
The Metalworking Hot Topics course was most helpful.
It was a marvelous get together of scientific minds working to improve living standards through science and engineering.
I learned a lot about a potential market I was considering getting into. I realized enough at a technical session to realize this is not a market for my company.
I found new ingredients for MWFs in this meeting, and I participated in an education course that was very good.
Learning how to find graduate programs. Made various connections throughout the meeting, including the Welcoming Party.
Did you make at least one professional contact or new friend during STLE’s 2015 Annual Meeting & Exhibition?
Yes
100%
No
0%
Based on responses sent to 1,448 STLE Annual Meeting attendees.
I learned about current issues facing the marine lubricants area and possible solutions at a Commercial Marketing Forum presentation.
I ran across lots of information that could prove to be valuable in the future.
I learned about substitutes for chlorinated paraffins. A most timely issue.
Interesting discussions on next generation base oils and technology.
From an education course: tons of great information on grease!
I learned about lubricant formulation ideas and made some additive supplier contacts.
I learned that LNG uses the initials of Lisa, Nancy and Gloria!
Great networking. I met with someone who might join our technical team.
I discussed some new instrumentation with a variety of lab vendors.
Maintained contact with international colleagues.
Great information on condition monitoring that I learned at an educational class.
The most valuable idea I found was the use of ultrasonics to measure rolling element contact load and viscosity of lubricant films. Presented by the University of Sheffield in technical sessions 6B and 7E.
At the nanotechnology session, they discussed the elimination of external lubricant for coin stamping. Extremely interesting!
I was able to meet in person several people that I had been conversing with over the phone and via email all year. It was an excellent opportunity to brainstorm and collaborate.
Impact of new VGP requirements on marine lubricants.
Green bio-created base oil is now used in a GF-5 approved engine oil.
At a technical session I was introduced to the concept that the crankcase can be separated into two sections (valvetrain and piston) and how to optimize the two different lubricants for their application.
How would you rate the information value of STLE’s 2015 Annual Meeting & Exhibition?
Excellent
51%
Good
45%
Fair
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Based on responses sent to 1,448 STLE Annual Meeting attendees.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Robert Erck.
New product developments for formulating biobased lubricants.
Metalworking Hot Topics: This session is always a source of valuable information and is the high point of the STLE conference in terms of identifying and updating the status of key issues for this market.
Too hard to choose! If I had to pick one, it would be the ability to find testing labs and testing equipment manufacturers easily.
Having the opportunity to discuss the current chlorinated paraffin situation with both colleagues and additive suppliers was invaluable. Also, tons of great information came from the technical session, exhibits, Commercial Marketing Forum and networking.
Great information!
The Commercial Marketing Forum on the DuPont line of Krytox lubricants gave incredible insight into their technologies and capabilities. There are many applications where conventional grease will not perform, so knowing that this is out there will be a nice addition to the tool bag.
A technical session presenter described how the strain energy release rate affected the formation of subsurface cracking due to sliding.
The broad range of technical session topics helps me to be inventive.
Ionic liquid as a lubricant.
Potential new application for my company’s product, which I picked up at the exhibition.
Great networking!
New developments in biobased lubricants.
The biocide info from a technical session was most helpful and informative.
Discussing testing machines with vendors in the trade show was a valuable update.
I took home a
lot of information from the technical sessions.
New biobased materials. I gained valuable information about industry movements and activities from various customers and collaborators at the meeting—even while meeting during breaks and throughout the trade show.
Advanced my work on nanotechnology.
Biodegradability information and testing picked up during a technical session.
Oil analysis as a key strategy in maintenance.
There was a very interesting presentation on heat treatment in my education class. Extremely useful.
From the meeting: business contacts, direct contact with primary suppliers, latest available technology.
Gained many ideas in the engine and drive train sessions.
Colleagues provided constructive and helpful feedback about my technical presentation and extended abstract.
How would you rate the networking value of STLE’s 2015 Annual Meeting & Exhibition?
Excellent
57%
Good
41%
Fair
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Based on responses sent to 1,448 STLE Annual Meeting attendees.
Editor’s Note: Sounding Board is based on an email survey of 13,000 TLT readers. Views expressed are those of the respondents and do not reflect the opinions of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers. STLE does not vouch for the technical accuracy of opinions expressed in Sounding Board, nor does inclusion of a comment represent an endorsement of the technology by STLE.